Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Des Moines County officials flag jail capacity strains and rising out-of-county costs
Summary
County officials reported the jail population, rising per-inmate costs for out-of-county placements, and challenges recouping those costs under current state practice; staff said judges are being asked to reference specific residential facilities to shorten waits for placement.
Des Moines County officials told the board of supervisors on Sept. 16 that the county jail is carrying a higher population and that increased costs for out-of-county placements are squeezing local budgets.
"The jail's at 78 this morning," said Kevin, a county law-enforcement official, reporting the facility census and several out-of-county placements. He urged the board to note that costs for out-of-county housing are increasing: "we pay $60 a minimum, and then we pay $80 for max security inmates," he said, adding that those rates have risen over recent years.
County attorney Grant told the board the Department of Corrections and court practices affect how quickly residents get into residential facilities. "We've been asking the judges to put down ... Burlington residential facility," Grant said, explaining staff hope judges will specify regional facilities rather than generic "halfway house" language so individuals can be placed more quickly and locally.
Board members noted that legislative or statutory changes would be required if the county hopes to recoup some of the increased costs from the state. One supervisor said recent revenue trends at the state level make large new state expenditures unlikely in the near term.
Separately, the board discussed operational steps to manage demand. Officials noted multiple people on wait lists for residential beds and a need to balance parolee returns with limited bed capacity.
The issue connects to the board's juvenile-detention work: supervisors also reported allocating $30,000 from the juvenile detention budget to upgrade the kitchen at Lee County Jail so meals can be prepared for the adjacent juvenile facility, a step officials said will support local operations while placement and contract discussions continue.
What happens next: supervisors indicated the matter is primarily operational now — staff will continue to follow placements and contract options, and any request for legislative change would require coordination outside the county.
