Randolph County isn’t alone in its aging and unsafe jail. Major O.J. Stone, president of the Missouri Deputy Sheriff’s Association, says many of the state’s smaller and more rural counties have jails upwards of 70 years old. He says voters are less likely to approve jail construction than other improvements because they assume the money goes towards jail luxuries. Stone emphasizes the costs to building only a secure facility, because of its thick walls, cameras, and bulletproof glass. His suggestion: Smaller counties that can’t afford jails of their own should band together and form regional jails for two or three counties.
