Newton County jail opens after 5 years

With a new 30-bed jail in operation, Newton County deputies won't have to think carefully whether to take someone to jail on a warrant or for violating the law, Sheriff Keith Slape said.

"If you have a warrant, you're coming to jail now," Slape said. "That is a big headache off of us."

Newton County accepted 15 state prisoners from Sebastian County into its jail about 11 a.m. Monday, Slape said. County officials also picked up five Newton County inmates who were being held in Boone and Carroll counties, though one inmate was released after posting a bond Monday.

The new jail had been vacant since it was built two years ago. Although voters passed a half-percent tax increase in November 2008 to build the jail, they rejected increases to pay for its operation in 2008 and 2012.

The Quorum Court raised the county property tax millage last November to operate the jail, with that funding becoming available in 2015. In the meantime, the county approved spending $133,177.50 to operate the jail from August through the end of December, with money coming from the sheriff's office and some money coming from the state as reimbursements for housing state prisoners.

The state pays counties $28 per day for each state prisoner held in a county jail.

Newton County hasn't had a jail since closing its former jail five years ago after the building was deemed unsafe.

Before the new jail opening, Newton County inmates had been housed in as many as four counties, Slape said. Decisions on whether to jail someone required the sheriff and deputies to find out if a nearby county had space and then to consider whether the cost and effort involved in housing someone was worth it, he said.

Audio and video equipment is set for installation Sept. 9 to facilitate visitations, Slape said. The equipment will allow visitors to sit in front of a screen to talk to inmates.

The inmates currently held are all male, Slape said. A door was being installed Tuesday to finish securing part of the jail for females, he said. The county can hold juveniles for up to six hours.

Metro on 08/27/2014

Upcoming Events