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What will happen if we don't do
anything?
As much as we might wish this problem would just go
away, there is no indication that it will simply fade
away if we do nothing about it. At this point, Scott
County has the ability to control its own destiny. Each
day we fail to act to resolve these issues increases
the odds that something will occur which takes matters
out of our hands.
Financial Considerations (Construction): If construction
is part of the solution, then each year we defer reduces
our purchasing power. Construction cost escalation used
to be estimated at about 4% per year. Last year, cost
escalation in some localities was as high as 10%.
Anything we can buy in today's dollars will cost less
than tomorrow's.
Economic Considerations (Boarding and Transport): Even
with the new alternatives in place, we continue to need
more jail space than we can provide in our facilities.
That results in a need to board inmates in other locations.
If we decide that this is the best course of action,
we are putting Scott County at the mercy of the detention
bed market. In this approach, we are, in fact, building
a jail - its just not in Scott County.
- We may not find bed space available to us at a
price we are willing to pay. The County has been advised
that the cost to board prisoners at the Rock Island
County Jail will increase from $45 per day to $70
per day.
- We may need to transport inmates longer distance
than to Rock Island County. Since our population is
now largely pretrial - and pretrial detainees who
remain in custody have between 4 and 5 court appearances
- this would dramatically increase transport costs.
- We could have to compete with other jurisdictions
- potentially some with deeper pockets than Scott
County - for jail space.
- Long-term reliance on this strategy could put us
in a situation where we need beds, but can not find
them. Since we are restricted to a certain number
of inmates in the Main Jail and the Annex, that could
put us in the position of having to release higher
risk inmates.
- Every dollar that we spend in Scott County turns
over in our economy between 3 and 4 times. Every dollar
that we spend out of Scott County benefits the economy
of another county.
Economic Considerations (Staffing Efficiency): Because
we have to provide a higher level of service today than
we did when the jail was constructed, we also have more
staff. The facility was never designed for the number
of staff we currently require.
Legal Considerations: As long as it remains in its
current facilities, as they exist today, Scott County
assumes a higher level of risk for its jail operations.
- While the Federal Courts have been markedly less
likely to become involved in inmate right's litigation
in the last 10 years, there are a number of issues
on which they continue to be willing to rule in terms
of their impact on the totality of conditions. One
of the triggers for this type of litigation is crowding.
Another is physical plant conditions.
- As long as inmate supervision is intermittent, the
potential for serious injury to both inmates and staff
is increased.
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