Colson responds to another letter writer and argues in favor of current downtown facility proposal.
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Dear Editor,
A recent guest editorial in area publications – by a highly intelligent community leader and major employer – brought up points developed from a viewpoint that didn’t have the benefit of access to the architects, engineers and law enforcement professionals that have worked in close cooperation for several years on the Ogle County Jail concept development.
Questions raised:
1: Outside detainees (federal and others). The writer references having a “secure” source of revenue. That doesn’t exist in the real world. The writer’s manufactured machinery and the county’s revenue-producing outside detainees are only successful by continued quality products (machinery) and services (detainee housing) bringing return business.
Fortunately the existing concept development produces a new jail that can handle up to 200 inmates with no increase in deputies (it will require one more janitorial person) over the current two-floor 109-bed jail.
2: Social services. Many, if not most, of the federal detainees are held for trial for charges that originated with “border crossing.” Rest assured that their fellow “border crossers” will not come within many miles of Ogle County at any time. Also, this is a jail not a prison. Detainees are held until trial, not to serve a sentence unless it is under one year. Count on the effect on social services to be zero.