Proposed jail for Benton County expected to cost around $10 million

Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox discussed a proposed new jail facility on Tuesday night.

Knox said the facility would just be over 27,000 square feet and would house sheriff’s office employees and have an 80 bed detention center.

The facility would also have a laundry facility and a kitchen.

Knox said the beds could be increased in the future and it would be very inexpensive.

The total cost of the of the land, utilities, construction, furnishings, equipment and services is estimated at around $10 million.

According to Knox’s report, when Audrain County built their new jail facility it cost them $4.3 million to build a 100 bed facility. Benton County’s proposal is very similar.

Knox said overcrowding is one of Benton County’s major issues along with correct segregation and classification of the detainees.

Civil detainees can not be housed with criminal detainees, young men and women that are 17-years-old can not be housed with other men and women that are over 18-years-old and those with mental issues can not be housed with the regular population.

Knox said Benton County currently pays between $40-$50 per person to send detainees elsewhere. The county has spent as high as $18,000 a month to send detainees elsewhere.

The proposed jail would be safer for the staff and would have workstations and an adequate evidence room.