Jail Committee Recommends New Jail, Programs to Alleviate Overcrowding Issues

ASPER -- Dubois County needs a new jail.

That is one of the recommendations being made by the jail study committee looking at ways to alleviate overcrowding at the county security center.

The Dubois County Commissioners were briefed this morning on the committee’s conclusions.

"This is a requirement," says Gil Eckerle, chairman of the study committee.  "Inmates require having so much space, so much air, so much sunlight.  This is what's happening in our own backyard.  This is a community effort.  We want to make sure our community is the best place to grow up, work and live."  

The jail study committee has been meeting for the past 8 months.

In addition to a new jail, the committee recommends expanding Community Corrections and offering new programs to help those going through the criminal justice system.

The committee also recommends the county should consider building a new Judicial or Justice Center if savings can be achieved in the long run by doing so.

The county commissioners plan to seek a feasibility study to get more information about the options in front of them before ultimately deciding what to do next.