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Cabarrus County Justice Center Update Februa .y 17, 2003 Back~round In May 2002, a study was completed that projected space requirements for the sheriff's office and jail for a 15 year period. The study was initiated by the Board of Commissioners in response to overcrowded conditions at the jail. At a work session held in early January 2003, the Board discussed the study. Because of steep growth trends, current site constraints and the sizable public investment to construct a new facility, the Board decided it would be more prudent to consider jail space requirements for a 40 to 50 year period, and that court facilities should be included in the effort as well. Together, the jail, sheriffs office and the court facilities were referred to as a justice center. The discussion centered around a phased process, beginning with an expandable jail (and perhaps sheriff's office) as soon as possible. The court facilities would likely follow 5 to 10 years later. At that meeting, the Board discussed 3 potential locations for the justice center; the current location (and adjacent properties), the Brown Mill site on Cabarrus Ave., and the former county fair site. The BOC also asked the Sheriff and the county manager to identify stop-gap measures for housing the growing jail population and to develop a process for planning the justice center. Current Status At its regular meeting in late January, the Board approved initiating the search for a firm to determine the long-term space requirements for, and the design of, a justice center. Also at that meeting, Sheriff Riley reported on several stop-gap measures that could be employed. At the request of Commissioner Carpenter, officials in Gaston County were contacted regarding the possibility of housing overflow inmates from the Cabarrus County jail. Gaston County officials are willing to house 10 to 20 Cabarrus inmates (as needed) and are willing to enter into a 12 month agreement. The cost is $55 per inmate, per day. In January, the average daily inmate population was 193. The peak inmate population was 203.