City, County Officials Discuss Jail Overcrowding

Rockford, Illinois- The prostitution near 7th and Broadway has become a major target for Rockfords new Police Chief Chet Epperson. "Well continuously put stings out there both for the individuals that want to find some entertainment for the evening and also target our prostitutes," says Epperson. Last year, roughly 60 people were arrested for prostitution. This year there has already been 115 arrests and three more busts are scheduled in the next four weeks. That puts the city on pace for more than 200 prostitution arrests this year. "Its putting a burden on the jail, it`s putting a burden on the criminal justice system but that`s the price you have to pay," says Winnebago County Sheriff Richard Meyers. "These issues have to be handled." "Now there`s talk they`ll have to use some of that one cent jail tax to house female prisoners outside Winnebago County," says Epperson. Sheriff Meyers says after every bust, the female prisoner ward in the county jail is over crowded until the women are processed. The one cent justice center tax could be used to bus prisoners to other counties. "The one cent public safety tax is used precisely for that," says Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen. "Sometimes I hear different undertones about that, but we are using it for the things it is prescribed for." And all the county and city leaders agree that overcrowding won`t cut down on arrests. "Prostitution is an issue the city needs to deal with and we`re not going to let the jail numbers stand in the way of doing that," says Meyers. The Winnebago County Jail can house 98 women prisoners. After a prostitution bust numbers can surpass 117.