JAIL EXPANSION PLAN SOUND, SHERIFF SAYS

When the current Cape Girardeau County jail opened in Jackson in 1979, it had room for 64 prisoners -- at a time when the daily jail population averaged about 15 inmates. And in the decade from 1984 to 1994, the jail count grew, but it remained fairly constant at an average of 45 prisoners a day.

Then, in 1995, a dramatic change occurred, thanks in large part to stiffer sentencing guidelines, says Sheriff John Jordan. The sheriff gave an update Monday on the planned jail expansion at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Cape Girardeau at the Holiday Inn.

Three years ago, the daily average at the jail jumped to 65. The next year it jumped again to 82. And last year the daily average population at the jail reached 93.

The increases have meant doubling up in the jail -- the jail now has beds for 80 prisoners -- and sending inmates to other jails and paying boarding and transportation fees that could hit $225,000 this year, if the trend continues.

As a result of all this, the county has been working for several months on a 152-bed addition to the jail. The cost, Jordan said, is expected to be near $5 million, possibly $5.5 million. The expansion will require an increase of eight to 10 employees in the sheriff's department. Land has been purchased adjacent to the existing jail, and razing will start soon on some nearby buildings.

Jordan said it was more economical to add on to the jail rather than start from scratch. The new jail, when completed possibly by 2000, will have a total capacity of 232 prisoners, which the sheriff said is expected to meet the needs of the future.

"It would be terrible if we built a new jail and had to farm out prisoners the day it opened," Jordan said.

The good news for county taxpayers is that the county will issue bonds to pay for the construction, and no tax increase will be needed to pay for the bonds.

In addition, the U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for federal suspects awaiting trial, will contract with the expanded jail to house prisoners. Jordan said payments to house the federal suspects are expected to pay off the bonds plus provide additional funding for county law-enforcement operations.

The county already has an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service for a $1.5 million grant for the jail improvements. Daily fees on top of that grant will be paid for housing federal prisoners,

"This is a sound financial plan," said Jordan, who has been working with a jail advisory committee appointed by the county commission.