There are few, if any, areas of the existing Sheriff's Department and Jail that do not have need for additional space. The needs of the Sheriff's Department have grown significantly since the facility was built, and the lack of adequate space makes for a cumbersome operation. The space needs and design problems of the jail are even more critical, and creates significant concerns for the safety and security of both inmates and staff. The facility is being operated well beyond its design capacity, and the needs of the jail have risen to such a level that the County must do something.

As part of this project, a number of facility options have been considered and discussed, including the following.

Option 1 — Expand the existing facility.

Option 2 — Construct a new Sheriff's Department and Jail on a new site.

Option 3 — Establish a separate minimum-security work release facility.

Option 4 — Construct a satellite facility and continue to use the existing facility.

Option 1 — expanding the existing facility — was explored in detail because the existing facility is a relatively new building, and is located in close proximity to the county courthouse. A plan was developed to expand the facility by constructing an addition onto both the north and south ends of the building. The expansion included additional space for the Sheriff's Department, and a new intake and release area, additional inmate housing, a new kitchen and laundry, and additional visitation and program space for the jail. The plan requires the acquisition of some additional surrounding property, which may or may not be feasible. The size of the expansion is also a concern, in that the expansion will be larger than the existing building, and further expansion in the future may be precluded. Construction on both ends of the building could also seriously disrupt the facility's day-to-day operations.

Option 2 — constructing a new Sheriff's Department and Jail on a new site — is attractive for several reasons, but would also involve the highest construction costs. The option would allow the jail to be properly designed according to modern jail standards, and could be designed for future expansion. Another major advantage of this option over Option 1 is that the new facility could be planned and constructed without disrupting the operation of the current facility.

Option 3 — establishing a separate minimum-security work release facility — and Option 4 — constructing a satellite facility — would both involve the continued utilization of the existing facility, and would require staffing two separate facilities, instead of one. Beyond the staffing inefficiencies, the existing jail is simply no longer adequate to serve as the County's primary jail facility.

In conclusion, it is suggested that the existing facility has served the County well for almost 20 years, and it must continue to serve the County for the next few years. However, the County's needs have grown significantly during this period, and the facility has simply outlived its useful life. Site constraints make expansion difficult, if not impossible, and further expansion may not be feasible in the future.

Our recommendation is that the County should immediately begin the planning and design process for a new Sheriff's Department and Jail. This process will provide more detailed and more accurate information regarding construction costs, staffing requirements, operating costs, and a project schedule so the County will know how long it must continue to keep the existing facility operational.

Because of the many demands being placed on jails across the country, everyone in corrections is "doing the best they can with what they've got." Certainly this is the case with the Johnson County Jail. Unfortunately, (1) the space needs are serious, (2) the cost of jail construction and operations are high, (3) the cost of transporting inmates to other counties is expensive, and (4) the potential for liability is high.

In making this recommendation for a new facility, it is recognized that what is being proposed will be costly, and that the average citizen has little sympathy for bad or crowded jail conditions. Jails are not supposed to be nice, and are not supposed to be a pleasant place to stay. But the existing facility is crowded, dangerous, and cannot meet minimum jail standards. The building is part of the problem — not part of the solution.