VIDEO: One North MS County Is Working Towards Building A New Jailhouse

ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)-Leaders in Itawamba County are still working towards building a new jail.

County leaders said it’s something that’s badly needed and is among their top priories.

“It’s a daily battle that we’re fighting,” said Itawamba County Sheriff Chris Dickinson. “We have failed our last health department inspection, and there’s nothing that we can do about it. I mean it’s just an old jail.”

The current building is causing many problems for the county, including maintenance and overcrowding.  The jailhouse can hold up to 44 inmates, they usually have close to 70 inmates on a daily basis.

“The jail we have is dollaring us to death,” the sheriff explained. “We are spending way too much money to other jails giving, paying to house prisoners. I think the people of Itawamba County would want to get some equity in something in Itawamba county.”

County Supervisors are all on board for building the new facility.

In fact, they even have a projected site in mind.

Current state law requires a jail to be within one mile from the county courthouse..

“It will be very close to there, and it may be I haven’t measured it,” said Sheriff Dickinson.

However, the State Senate is currently reviewing a bill that would lift that regulation, which would then open up more site options for the county to build the new jail.

If the project goes through, sheriff Dickinson said it’ll be beneficial asset to the entire community.

“This particular site will save the taxpayers a lot of money, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” he said.

The oldest part of this facility was built in 1947 and still houses inmates.