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Cole County leaders weigh jail capacity options as out‑of‑county housing costs near $500,000 year‑to‑date
Summary
Commissioners, the sheriff and prosecutors discussed rising costs to house inmates outside the county and considered options including operational changes, converting part‑time prosecutor roles to full time and building out additional jail beds.
County leaders used the Aug. 19 meeting to discuss jail population dynamics and the rising expense of housing inmates out of county. Commissioners were told the county had spent roughly $297,000 through July to house prisoners outside Cole County and that, if annualized, that pace could exceed the $450,000 budgeted for the year. The sheriff and prosecutor described multiple drivers for out‑of‑county housing, including classification needs, capacity mismatches by sex and security level, and the county’s use of federal contracts that both generate revenue and require enhanced security protocols.
Key points raised included: - Federal holds: Cole County houses federal detainees under…
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