JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council members will meet Thursday to discuss the possibility of relocating the Duval County jail.
Right now, it’s expected a new jail could cost over $380 million. Where it will go, and what it could look like still has to be decided and it’s going to take time.
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Earlier this year, Council President Ron Salem said building a new jail and moving it away from where it is now on East Bay Street is a priority for him.
At Thursday’s meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m., a subcommittee will discuss the next steps. As of now, nothing is a done deal.
Sheriff T.K. Waters has gone on record saying relocation is years away from happening.
He also said the current building is in rough condition. The jail along East Adams Street is 32 years old and the administrative offices next to it are much older than that.
When the jail first opened it was one of the largest in the country, but by the time they moved inmates back in it was already 80% full. Since then, the city has increased the capacity to about 3,000 by adding more to each cell. On average the jail houses about 2,600 people.
The council committees addressing the jail relocation want to have recommendations ready by the first of the year.
