Q: Didn’t La Crosse County
just open a new jail?
A: In 1997 the Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center
was opened to accommodate the needs of the courts, the Clerk of
Courts, District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department,
including the jail. Work release inmates were housed in a different
facility, and women inmates were housed in the “old” jail.
Q:
Didn’t La Crosse County just close a jail?
A: Due to increased use of Day Reporting
and electronic monitoring, La Crosse County did close the Work
Release facility (also known as Huber) at the end of 2005. Reducing
the number of jails from three to two.
Q: Why does La Crosse County
need to build another facility?
A: The women inmates are housed in a facility that does not
meet code, there isn’t sufficient programming space for male or
female inmates and the kitchen isn’t designed properly to meet the
needs of staff. By attaching a facility to the current secure
jail, operating costs would be reduced.
The facility would also house
the Justice Sanctions Program, which operates programs including the
Drug and OWI Treatment Courts, electronic monitoring and day
reporting. The Justice Sanctions Program has outgrown the space it
currently occupies.
Q:
Could the needs be addressed in another way so that
we’re not considering building more space in a few short years?
A: The County Board of Supervisors is
seeking input from the community, experts around the country and
staff to determine if the situation can be managed differently.
Q: As a community member how
can we be sure the “right” facility will be constructed?
A: Managing a criminal justice population
is not always a simple process. There are many agencies that can
affect the size of a jail population. Law enforcement, the
Department of Corrections (probation and parole), judges and
prosecutors all have an influence on the jail population. The
Criminal Justice Management Council is in place to review the
criminal justice process. It often recommends policies to the
County Board that help control the jail population. One goal will
be to build a facility that anticipates flexibility and possibly
includes some unfinished space that could accommodate future
growth.
Q: What is the location of
the building if constructed?
A: It would be built where the closed work
release facility is now located.
Q: Can the closed work
release facility be used in place of building a new building?
A: The work release facility was
originally an automotive center. It was redesigned to house work
release inmates. It does not meet the State requirements to house
the type of inmates La Crosse County needs.
