Jail Study Shows Need for More Space - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Jail Study Shows Need for More Space

Morton County and Burleigh County Jails are filled to capacity--
Commissioners from both counties heard a presentation about how to possibly alleviate the problem.
Jon Schaeffer has the story.
Jail Study findings were presented to Burleigh and Morton County commissioners to show them what options they have to handle the overcrowding they've been seeing for years.
(Dave Shipman/Morton County Sheriff)"Back in 09 it was severely overcrowded. It has eased back a little bit but yet we still have someone on the road somewhere and housing our inmates at other facilities."
the presentation by Dennis Kimme showed a significant  increase in the population of both county jails over the next 20 years. To try and suppress the issue he made recommendations to build a jail that could be used by both counties. Kimme proposed two new models of cell pods that would allow for efficient and effective monitoring by officers. The presentation however  didn't convince everyone that this was the best approach.
(Mark Armstrong/Burleigh county Commissioner) "I have kind of been an opponent of the process all along I think nationally we incarcerate more people than anybody else in the world north Dakota is a little bit better percentage wise. But even what I've seen when I've lived here over the last 22 years we went from a smaller jail facility to a bigger one and a bigger one and now we're looking at one combined with Morton county. I think we need to look at other ways of attacking this problem."
But everyone says they agree that the overcrowding issues need to be addressed.
"Something needed to be done for Jail space and whether or not that each facility add on separately or do a joint deal that's the work that needs to be discussed and decided now."

The new building that was recommended for joint use could save millions of dollars over the course of 20 years if both county's commissioners decide to go that route.