Muscatine

I truly hope that the committie that is going to be set up to study the need for new jail space really does its homework. We dont need new jail space. We need to take a hard look who and how we incarcerate people. We need to explore electronic monotoring, programs to curtail recitivisim and lots of other options before we invest more in brick and mortar.

Holding federal inmates sounds like a good idea but is it really making money?  Is this a ruse to gain more power/responsiblity for someone so they can claim more salary? We all know that if a govt agency gets bigger the mgt has to have more money because they are more  "responsible."

If the current Work Release Center had had a bit of maintence done to it, it wouldnt look like a slum right now. A coat of paint and cleaning up would do wonders. If it looks bright and clean and not falling down when the state comes to look at it, it will go a long way towrds making a good first impression.

 

Check all the facts before making a decission.

The SHERIFF is right;maybe the people that are against this improvement should pay the money that can be lost if county loses fed prisoner care.I believe this is needed

Awhile back there was some kind of uproar here because there was talk of building a new prison here or something. The 'better that thou' folks said in effect "we don't want those kind of people and their families hanging around town". I doubt if anything changed much that way.

Once again and continuing as has been the past practice, this Sheriff and I'm sure the one that will follow have it all WRONG!  The object of the exercise in the 21st. century is to utilize the technology that is currently available to DECREASE the number of people in jail.  It costs the taxpayers a great deal to house/feed/provide health care for and many other things for these people.  According to the Dept. of Justice website, many counties/states and even the federal government are now looking for way to decrease the population of jails and prisons.

People who pose no danger to others or themselves should NOT be in jail.  There's no reason they can not be held under "house" arrest as is done in many other places.  Sheriffs are notorious for perpetuating their self-importance by telling everyone how many people they have in their jasils.  Of course the problerm is that they are NOT their jails, but ours since we pay for them.  Jils should be for dangerous people or people who have committed very serious crimes.

Time for very new blood in the Sheriffs office, the "good ole boys" are costing us way too much money.