The overcrowding problem in DeKalb County Jail is not getting any better.

Because of the jail being crowded, inmates from DeKalb County have been sent to Boone County Jail to ease the problem.

Roger Scott,DeKalb County Sheriff, said they have been shipping between 20-30 inmates a day to Boone County.

In April 2008, The Northern Star reported this as an increase from last year, when it was reported 15-20 inmates were being shipped out per day.

The maximum capacity for the jail is 72, but the number of inmates has gone past that.

“Our max capacity is 72, but on an average day we have around 124 including inmates plus those being held in custody,” Scott said.

Scott said they have also been using home tracking devices.

“Last year we used electronic monitoring devices on 15-20 inmates a day,” he said.

Ray Bockman,DeKalb County Administrator said the increase in DeKalb County’s population is a reason why the inmates are being sent to another jail.

“The jail is not getting any bigger, and the population is growing,” Bockman said.

Bockman said the recession has been adding to the jail’s overcrowding.

“During the recession, people have been doing things they wouldn’t normally do and are breaking the law,” he said. “This creates more demand for jail space, which isn’t available.”

Although sending inmates to Boone County is helping the overcrowding situation, it is financially hurting DeKalb County.

“$600,000 was spent in 2008 sending inmates to Boone County,” Scott said.

The Northern Star reported that in 2007, $300,000 was spent, making the cost jump twice the amount. Bockman expects the cost to be even higher in a few years.

“Within two to three years I expect the cost to be around $1 million a year,” he said.

The jail has not received any changes to its size due to residents voting against an expansion.

“A tax to expand the jail has been voted against four times by the people in the county,” he said. “When someone sees a tax proposition on a ballot, it tends to have a negative connotation.”