The finishing touches are being put on the new DeKalb County Jail expansion; and while no one ever wants to build a new jail -- let alone use it -- the project is a necessity for the justice system, and for the safety of the public.
DeKalb County Board Chairman Mark Pietrowski says many counties are put under pressure by the state to provide adequate facilities for prisoners; but if a county takes too long, then the state Department of Corrections (which has jurisdiction over county jails) can simply force them to start in on construction. So the DeKalb County Board opted to get ahead of the curve, and begin with construction of the jail so it could carry out the project on the county's own terms.
The new facility will not only have more space and more up-to-date facilities, but it will also provide a suicide wing for high-risk prisoners; there will also be more natural sunlight provided through windows and skylights...which is beneficial not only to the prisoners, but to the employees working there.
Pietrowski also noted some of the other goals and accomplishments of the County Board in the past few months; he says they're striving to make DeKalb County more business-friendly, are updating the text of zoning laws to help agribusiness, and opened the new county forest preserve in Sycamore on the former Evergreen Village site. He notes that this location is unique for the county; instead of being in an isolated rural area, this preserve is close to downtown Sycamore...making it more appealing for the public to use.