The backlog of cases involving prisoners being transferred from county jails to Department of Corrections facilities has become a statewide problem, including here in Warren County where overcrowding continues to be a challenge for law enforcement officials.
Warren County State’s Attorney Tom Siegel said the local county jails ultimately shoulder the financial burden of housing these prisoners.
“Meanwhile, the inmates end up serving out their sentences in the county jails,” Siegel said.
Siegel went on to describe a unique case in Mercer County involving a female prisoner who — because of the DOC transfer delays — served her entire sentence in the county jail.
Earlier this month, the Warren County Board approved a contract with the design firm of Ringland-Johnson to develop a preliminary site plan for a new county jail.
Siegel said the Citizens Advisory Committee’s research and time spent studying the need for a new jail has been invaluable.
“A lot of people have put in, all told, hundreds of hours of labor between touring jails, looking over plans, and talking to architects and contractors,” Siegel said.
