Cook County Jail To Shut Two Buildings

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Mar 4, 2010 7:40PM

With a drop in inmates over the past several years, the Cook County Jail is preparing to close down two buildings in an effort to save money. Sheriff Tom Dart said, "When every government agency is looking for ways to cut costs and save taxpayer dollars, it makes no sense to keep half-empty buildings operating at full capacity." According to Chicago Current, the move will hopefully save $15 million. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of inmates processed at the jail shrank from around 106,000 to 86,000. This comes in the wake of the earlier announcement that 600 new guards will be hired over next two years at the jail, a move made as part of a deal with the federal government.