Cook County Jail Has Fewer Inmates, Longer Stays
By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 9, 2011 2:30PM
In what would be considered good news for Cook County law enforcement, the average number of inmates at Cook County Jail has decreased in the past five years. But Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart testified at County budget hearings yesterday that inmates are staying at 26th and California an average of one week longer.
The population at Cook County Jail dropped from 75,496 in 2007 to 62,098 this year. But Dart and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez placed the blame for the length of stays at the jail at the feet of the courts and the slow pace of some proceedings.
“It delays justice for everyone, not just the offenders, but the victims as well,” Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez told reporters Tuesday after testifying at a budget hearing before Cook County commissioners. “Obviously we see sometimes cases get dragged out for years and witnesses disappear or witnesses leave, witnesses die and it hurts the case.”
Dart also said delays cost taxpayers money, since the average cost to house an inmate is $143 a day.