New Hancock Co. jail to save almost $1M a year - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

New Hancock Co. jail to save almost $1M a year

Posted: Updated:
By Al Showers - bio | email

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Friday, May 24 2013 6:49 AM EDT2013-05-24 10:49:03 GMT
    It's a voyage that helps introduce tourists to those small waterfront towns that they may not ordinarily think to visit. A cruise ship docked in Biloxi on Wednesday night. Then on Thursday, passengers
    It's a voyage that helps introduce tourists to those small waterfront towns that they may not ordinarily think to visit. A cruise ship docked in Biloxi on Wednesday night. Then on Thursday, passengers visited several attractions including the Biloxi lighthouse and the visitors center. The Grande Caribe set sail from New Orleans and will continue on until it reaches St. Petersburg. Crew members said it's the stops along the way that makes these small cruises stand out.

  • Monday, May 13 2013 12:24 PM EDT2013-05-13 16:24:04 GMT
    MARION COUNTY, MS (WDAM) - A weekend-long drug raid left 22 individuals behind bars, and more arrests to come. According to Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall, the drug raid is the result of several
    A weekend-long drug raid left 22 individuals behind bars, and more arrests to come.

  • Thursday, May 23 2013 5:38 PM EDT2013-05-23 21:38:18 GMT
    The picture of a George County dog set on fire is disturbing. Authorities say the circumstances surrounding how fire consumed the dog are shocking. According to George County Sheriff Dean Howell, 20-year-old
    Socks, the dog reportedly burned this week by his owner, has died. That word comes from a George County Sheriff's deputy.  Socks succumbed to injuries suffered after 20-year-old Brandon Pierce allegedly set his dog on fire Tuesday night. The suspect told deputies he torched the dog because he "wanted to help the dog go to heaven."
    •   
HANCOCK COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -

Hancock County leaders celebrated yet another post-Katrina milestone this week. Thursday was the official opening and open house at the new Public Safety Complex.

The $38 million building includes a new justice courtroom and county jail. That's something Hancock County hasn't had in nearly six and a half years.

Authorities say it's one of the most secure jails in the state.

"It's modern. The old jail was built in 1986 and it had some deficiencies," said Correctional Officer Dwayne Bremer.

Hurricane Katrina damaged the old jail beyond repair more than six years ago. Since that time, Hancock County inmates have been housed at jails in surrounding areas. Right now they are in the Marion County Jail.

"Thirty five dollars a day, per inmate. And we average about 120 every day," said Sheriff Ricky Adam. "And then you've got transportation costs of going back and forth to Marion three, four, five, six times a week. It's been really hard on our budget."

Adam said being able to bring Hancock County inmates home will save taxpayers almost a million dollars a year. And with the Justice Court inside the building, there will be even more savings.

The jail can also hold up to 303 prisoners.

"We're in the maximum security dorm," Jail Warden Evan Hubbard said as he led WLOX News on a tour of the new facility. "These are the inmates that give the facility a problem. The showers have steel doors on them, so the inmates don't have free reign to go in and out of the showers. They're in their a designated times."

Jail guards will have a bird's eye view of everything that's going on from a high tech control room.

"We have a 180 degree view of all the inmates. We have video monitoring, audio monitoring."

Visitations have also gone high tech. Inmates will no longer have personal contact with relatives.

"It's a timed visit for 30 minutes. The biggest advantage to us with the video visitation is the fact that it cuts down on bringing in contraband to the inmates," explained Hubbard.

Thursday's open house was for invited guests. The public will be able to check it out this Saturday afternoon 2-4pm.

Copyright 2012 WLOX. All rights reserved.