This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Legislature Wednesday approved a jail expansion in Garfield County to handle the state's ever increasing numbers of prisoners. The county jails have beds for 1,553 state prisoners. Of those, 168 are for women inmates. All but 11 of those beds are in use, said the bill's sponsor Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Parowan. Expanding Garfield county's jail will add 80 beds.
"It will help fill a need and a concern on a short term," warned Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley. "Ultimately this issue of additional beds will have to be addressed not only through county facilities, but on the state level. It seems like the courts just can't stop themselves - they have to sentence these people to jail."
- Glen Warchol
