Probation and jail reports show large caseloads, declining jail population and ongoing maintenance needs

County officials presented annual reports from probation and the sheriff’s jail that showed high probation caseloads and a reduced jail population, alongside unmet maintenance needs at the jail.

Probation Director Ryan Siggers told commissioners his office supervised 1,263 individuals in 2024 and completed 86 pre-sentence investigations. He said the average probation officer caseload is about 113, above recommended ratios of 40–60 depending on risk level, and reported the county provides 55% of probation funding. He estimated it costs about $4.96 per person per day to supervise someone on probation compared with roughly $37 per day to incarcerate someone.

Sheriff Jones presented the annual jail report showing the average daily population fell from nearly 140 (2022) to about 116 more recently; he reported 97 inmates at the time he left the jail during the reporting period. Jones reviewed expenses including jail meals ($270,000; about $2.12 per meal), medical billing ($401,000 billed, $64,000 paid after insurer/bill-scrubbing) and staff shortfalls tied to opening of the women’s center. He also noted several facility needs—rusted showers, aging cameras and intercom systems, and door/intercom repairs—that will require funding.

Commissioners discussed staffing projections, the impact of the women’s center opening on workload, and the potential for grant funding and reallocation to help with costs. No formal budget adjustments were made at the meeting; commissioners requested continued reporting and cost comparisons for possible solutions.