Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 10 b <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 3, 1998 <br />SUBJECT: Report; Justice Facilities Study Group Follow up <br />DEPARTMENT: PURCHASING AND Public Hearing: No <br />CENTRAL SERVICES Budget Amendment Reqd? No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />PAM JONES, ext. 2650 <br />Telephone Number- <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 967-9251 <br />Mebane 227-2031 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />PURPOSE: To receive information regarding the Justice Facility Study Group and to <br />provide comment to staff regarding the next steps desired by the Board. <br />BACKGROUND: In early 1995, the Commissioners appointed a study group to explore <br />future development of Justice Facilities in the County. The. group met for approximately <br />six months and a report reflecting their work and recommendations was received by the <br />Board in December, 1995. <br />In an effort to determine the impact of the additions to the Jail and Courthouse and how <br />they might affect the recommendations presented in the report, no further action has <br />been pursued. Both the Jail and Courthouse additions have now been completed, <br />although the final Jaii inspection was only completed by the State within the past week. <br />White the impact of the Jail addition is inconclusive at this point, the impact of the <br />additional courtroom is very favorable. Judges Battle and Buckner have collaborated to <br />initiate a scheduling system for courtrooms that adds flexibility to their use. The District <br />Court, who was regularly shut down by the Fire Marsha{ for overcrowding the courtroom, <br />has had no such occurrence since the new courtroom was brought on line in July, 1997. <br />Although the additional courtroom has provided much needed relief and the additional <br />58 beds in the Jail will reduce the overcrowded conditions for some period of time, <br />neither of these projects were meant to be long term solutions. With the constant <br />increase in court case load and the corresponding staff increases necessary to address <br />the heavier load, the positive effects of the two additions are likely to be short-lived. <br />