Boone County Jail takes prisoner overflow precautions

Boone County is considering renewing a deal with the Chariton County to ensure they will have space for overflow inmates.

On Tuesday, County Commissioners discussed the county’s relationship with Chariton when it comes to housing criminals.

A detective with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department tells our ABC17 crews they have housed inmates in Chariton before, and have 16 housed currently.

Officials say they house inmates in other counties because of the lack of space, however this is a precautionary step because the jail is not full.

Boone County inmates have also been housed in Cole and Callaway County before.

In the county’s 2016 budget, housing inmates out of county and alternative sentencing covers 14.6% of their law enforcement budget. That amounts to more than $580,000 out of the roughly 4 million dollar plan.