Long-term jail plan unveiled to county board
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Jail plan
Below are highlights of the $56.5 million Rock County Jail expansion plan, which jail officials hope won't be needed for many years:
Phase 1: $8.46 million
-- Site grading
-- Waterproofing foundation
-- Roof replacement
-- Kitchen equipment replacement
-- Electronic updates
-- Build new sally port, booking room
Phase 2: $17.73 million
-- Build a 192-bed inmate housing building
-- Heating system
-- Fire alarm system
Phase 3: $17.17 million
-- Build a law enforcement building
-- Demolish the Pinehurst Building
-- Build an evidence garage
-- Build a maintenance facility
-- Expand the kitchen
Phase 4: $12.55 million
-- Build a three-story housing tower
Phase 5: $615,000
-- Renovate existing jail pods
JANESVILLE — The Rock County Sheriff's Office has a long-term plan to expand the county jail if it's ever needed.
The plan has five phases and could cost $56.5 million, but the sheriff's office hopes it won't need a bigger jail for many years.
"There's no way that I can ask the county citizens to spend any more of their tax dollars in the economic crisis we're in," Sheriff Bob Spoden said. "It's just not realistic."
The plan was presented to the Rock County Board on Thursday night.
The sheriff's office in 2006 pitched a $56 million jail expansion but later scrapped the plan in favor of reducing the inmate population by expanding jail alternative programs, including electronic monitoring, Workenders and Community RECAP.
And the plan seems to have worked.
In 2005, the jail housed an average of 516 inmates in Rock County, 25 inmates in other counties and 11 inmates in alternative programs.
Three years later, the jail averaged 493 inmates in Rock County, zero in other counties and 154 in alternative programs.
The jail is less crowded and below its rated capacity of 525 inmates.
"The philosophies have changed," Spoden said. "We're not going to be able to build our way out of overcrowding."
County board members decided to pay The Samuels Group of Wausau $35,000 to design the five-phase plan. It is the most recent in 10 years of studies and plans at the cost of $1.7 million.
The plan was made in case the county decides to expand the jail in the future. It outlines priorities for jail improvements.
The expansion includes renovations, new jail beds and a new building to house the law enforcement division of the sheriff's office.
"I think there's been an awful lot of thought and an awful lot of innovation in developing this plan," Cmdr. Tom Gehl said. "Just because it's there, doesn't mean it has to be done."
Instead, the sheriff's office intends to continue growing its alternative programs and to add others, he said.
Future programs could address underlying issues that land inmates in jail, Gehl said.
They could focus on drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence or mental health, he said.
"We can hopefully reduce recidivism," Gehl said.
Meanwhile, the plan to expand the jail will sit on the shelf, just in case it's needed someday, Spoden said.
"At the end of the day, building prisons and jails is one of the most costly additions," he said. "What our goal has been and continues to be is to use alternatives instead of wasting jail beds."
Sep 30, 2009 at 11:38 a.m.
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When I was in Rock County Recap there was an average of 3-7 people on the floor at all times, sometimes up to 10 people on the huberdorm floors, Under the capacity but They still have people sleeping on the floors at all times.
Recap is more politics than anything else. It's a Joke. Thats all it is,
Does anyone know where I can find the recidivism rates of recap graduates? And what is the completion rate, what percentage of people in the program complete it? I'd like to know a little more about it.
Mar 13, 2009 at 3:01 p.m.
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aren't always immediately apparent. I guess I should never proofread my own script.
Mar 13, 2009 at 3 p.m.
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I like it when people want to address underlying issues that land inmates in jail. It's a long term solution, not a knee jerk reaction. It takes money though, and results are always immediately apparent. Patience is a virtue, and something I need work on often.
Mar 13, 2009 at 1:43 p.m.
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How much wiill a fence and tents cost?
Mar 13, 2009 at 1:37 p.m.
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"There's no way that I can ask the county citizens to spend any more of their tax dollars in the economic crisis we're in," Sheriff Bob Spoden said.
County board members decided to pay The Samuels Group of Wausau $35,000 to design the five-phase plan. It is the most recent in 10 years of studies and plans at the cost of $1.7 million.
Hey sheriff, who paid for this study and all the studies over the last 10 years? The money fairy? Typical liberal tax and spend talk out of both sides of your --- double talk!
Mar 13, 2009 at 12:57 p.m.
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What is that sound? It is 1.7 million dollars down the drain. Thanks for all the thoughtful planning.
Mar 13, 2009 at 12:04 p.m.
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Thank you, Sheriff Spoden!
Mar 13, 2009 at 11:13 a.m.
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Where's thekid? He should be in here proposing that we make MaryJane legal. I, for one, agree with him on that. Why spend spend spend when we could be generating revenue with yet another tax? (OK, have at it people!)
Mar 13, 2009 at 10:55 a.m.
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We need to follow other states and begin questioning our whole criminal justice system. In particular, we need to ask whether it makes sense to be incarcerating non-violent criminals. Our puritanical, punitive mentality is costing us all a lot of money.
I support Spoden when he looks for alternatives to criminal prosecution, but we need to do this in order to keep our out-of-pocket money for jails to a minimum. It should not be treatment and the other, but treatment instead of the other.
Mar 13, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.
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Now this is an article that gives value to the needs at this time in the community and thank you Sheriff Spoden for seeing the need to put it on hold and look into alternative programs that could help the inmates lead a productive life on the outside. To warehouse individuals without change is not going to change their behaviors as to ending back in jail at the tax payers expense. Not all people in jail are lost causes and some can change if they see a another way of life (some are raised in homes that live that way as to it is the only way they knew) that is better then what they may have been brought up in. IMO
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