I think it's going to continue to be a problem as the crime rates go up. Kampman said Iowa is not too different from other states across the nation. In general, crime rates are going up, and jail space is becoming more and more restricted. The problem is not new. The state attorney general established a task force in 1996 to look specifically at corrections issues, including the state of the county jails.
Many urban jails are too small.
Many rural jails, too old. Almost all jails could benefit from greater use of technology and more multi-county planning. Just two years ago, two-thirds of the county jails were considered severely overcrowded, Kampman said. Central and southeast Iowa seem most affected by overcrowding, according to Kampman. Scott County, for example, has beds for 214 inmates, but holds an average of 236.