Evaluation meeting announced

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PRINCETON — The Bureau County Board wants direction from the public on the possible building of a new county jail.

With that in mind, the county board is sponsoring a Community Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bureau County Courthouse in Princeton.

National Institute of Corrections consultants James Rowenhorst and Mark Cuniff will give a preliminary overview of their three-day evaluation next week of Bureau County’s law and justice system and its impact on the county jail.

County Board Chairman Marc Wilt said he hopes people show up for the meeting.

“I hope it’s well attended by the public as well as the people directly involved,” Wilt said Wednesday. “This could end up being a multi-million dollar decision that the county board needs to make about what to do with the jail. The more public comment the board receives, the easier it will be for the board to make a decision. We want the public to get involved.”

Thursday’s meeting is expected to last till about 9 p.m. and will be held in the second floor courtroom of the courthouse.

In September 2007, the Bureau County Board formed a Jail Task Force to investigate the most viable solutions to correct jail deficiencies cited by the Illinois Department of Corrections, including the cost of building a new jail. The task force arranged for the NIC consultants to come to Princeton.

On Wednesday, Task Force Committee Chairman Joe Bertetto said the assessment team will provide valuable information for the county. The consultants will look at a number of things, including the average daily population of the jail, the length of stay for detainees, the historical pattern of crime rates in the county and inmate profiles. The data will also allow the county to consider alternative, non-custody options that are less costly than building more beds, Bertetto said.

“The condition of the jail has been scrutinized for some time, so the analysis of the facility will provide information for future facility development and the formation of a master plan for the future,” Bertetto said.

Information presented at the Community Meeting will be important for all Bureau County residents to hear, Bertetto said.

“The law and justice system impacts every resident of Bureau County in one form or another,” Bertetto said. “Usually the largest impact is in budgetary issues regarding the maintenance of a correctional facility. The Community Meeting will allow the public to gather a general idea of the shape of the county's law and justice system and what, if any, changes could be made.”

Audience members are encouraged to ask questions so they will have a clearer idea of the future course that will be taken, Bertetto said. The county board also needs to hear the public’s concerns so the board’s eventual decision can address those concerns, Bertetto said.

Sheriff John Thompson also expressed his hope for a good attendance at the Community Meeting.

“This is the NIC’s opportunity to review with us what they believe to be significant issues pending in Bureau County with the justice system and jail,” Thompson said. “I think the county board needs direction and is looking for it from the public. Often, people don’t have the opportunity to talk to the county board representatives, but this is their time.”

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