From the County Commissioners... Study Praises Judicial Efficiency A study prepared for Sheridan County by Allied Correctional Services has high praise for the efficiency of the county criminal justice system. "The Judicial Processing of offenders is highly efficient" according to the Justice Facilities Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study. "The average length of stay for all inmates averages only 13 days … the average length of stay for felons is 18.2 days. There appears to be no impact on jail population due to case processing delays or inefficiencies." That's good news and bad news. It's good news because there is no wasted space in the county jail - bad news because there isn't enough space to meet current or future needs. "The current 24 bed facility is now operating at a level that substantially exceeds standards rated capacity and has numerous safety and security issues. It is not appropriate for higher risk populations and presents liability risks that should be unacceptable to the county." The Board of Commissioners feels that this liability risk ought to concern every taxpayer in the county. If a prisoner were seriously injured or died because of deficient safety standards a successful lawsuit could pinch the county budget for years. That would impact everything from roads to Veteran's Services." The study also includes an analysis of county and area population and crime trends. Those figures suggest that by the year 2030 the county will need a 42-bed facility. The population of Sheridan county is not expected to increase substantially in that time but the population of Shannon County, South Dakota increased by 52% from 1970 - 2000, a trend that is expected to continue. It is an unfortunate reality that 56% of all jail admissions are from out of county - 41% of all admissions are from Shannon County. The Facility Assessment Committee continues to consider such data as they work to prepare a recommendation for submission to the County Board. The Study includes four possible options for addressing the future needs of the county for Jail, Court and office space. The Board hopes to receive the Committee's report and recommendation before the end of the year That report is expected to be relatively brief and there will not be public debate of the recommendation at that time. The date and time of that report will be publicized in the Agenda of the Commissioners printed in the Sheridan County Journal Star. The Board is contemplating a series of informal public meetings, beginning early in the new year, to present the report to receive citizen comment. When that informal discussion is complete there will be a formal public hearing. Only then will the Board take action on the report and recommendation. Contact Information: James E. Krotz 3484 520th Road Rushville, NE 69360 308-327-2110 jekrotz@bbcwb.net