COUNTY JAIL MAY EXPAND; GROWTH LIKELY FOR FEMALE PRISONERS

JACKSON - To accommodate a steadily increasing number of female prisoners in recent years, the Cape Girardeau County Jail likely will be expanded.

Sheriff Norman Copeland and Presiding Circuit Judge A.J. Seier have been discussing for some time the need for additional jail space for women prisoners with the Cape Girardeau County Commission for some time. On Monday, Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said the commission will have to address the problem soon.

The present jail, completed in 1979, has space for 64 prisoners; however, the cell block for women is only designed to handle four prisoners.

Copeland pointed out that the county jail consistently has between eight and nine women prisoners and has had as many as 11 at one time this year.

"We constantly have people boarded out to other jails, but that is becoming more and more difficult," said Copeland.

Most area county jails do not have enough space for women now. Cape County relies on the Cape Girardeau City Jail for boarding some prisoners.

But over the long run, Copeland said additional space is needed in the county jail. "There is no place else to go except to Cape, and so far we've been able to trudge along and get by," said Copeland.

"I expect the number of female prisoners to continue to increase," said the sheriff. "The way it is right now, a lot of them are let off with different sentences than had we had additional space," he said. "With our economic situation, and with the amount of business we have as a county, we have a tendency to draw an awful lot of big-time shoplifters."

Seier agreed with Copeland's assessment. "It has been a trend that we are having more women

IP0,0incarcerated, and the number of cells we have just won't make it," said Seier. "There is a need. I agree with the sheriff and county commission that we need more space for females."

IP1,0Seier also said that because of the space shortage he is reluctant sometimes to put women in jail.

Seier said: "I think there is a perception that there is gender bias. It is understandable: the prosecutors don't recommend women for jail as much, and judges don't, and sheriff's scream because there is a problem of not enough space.

"Most jails have few cells for women; what is a judge supposed to do except be gender biased?

"It is a factor in our sentencing decisions," said Seier. "But, if they give me 12 places, I'll fill them up."

Copeland is proposing that the commission plan an expansion of the jail so that 12 females could be easily incarcerated. He said it would be easy to expand to the north of the women's cells and construct a dormitory. The second story could be used for badly needed storage and office space, he said.

"I feel this would be the most economical thing to do, given the situation that we have," said Copeland. "I'm quite certain the present building can be adjusted to meet our needs without too much of an outlay."

The sheriff said having space for 12 women would be sufficient space for several years.

There also has been some talk of expanding the rest of the jail to include additional space for male prisoners; however, Copeland said that could not be done without considerable expense. "I'm not asking for that now; it is adequate at this time," the sheriff said.

Copeland said the pressing problem is finding a way to house more women. He said the county could be open to liability unless it provides adequate space for women.

"We've waited long enough," he said. "Now is the time to do something."

Huckstep, who has balked in the past when the subject of jail expansion has come up, said Monday that the need for additional female jail cells is an issue the county must deal with. He said the commission likely will take the first step toward the expansion as part of the 1992 budget process.

Even though the expansion would be small, Huckstep said he dreads seeing cost figures.

"Any expansion in a jail is expensive," said Huckstep. "Any time you add a jail cell it costs a lot of money to meet all the requirements; it's not like adding a family room on a house."