Crawford County Officials Consider Tax Vote to Fund New Jail

VAN BUREN, Ark. — Crawford County Judge John Hall says he’ll ask for an election in March requesting funds for a new county jail.

The county has until the end of November to show progress in solving chronic jail overcrowding or faces the possibility of the jail being shut down by a review committee.

The county’s 84-bed jail was at full capacity on Aug. 24, according to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. At the time, the Crawford County judge said he would like the Quorum Court at its November meeting to call for a March election on a funding source for a new county jail. Another 121 inmates were either being held in the Washington County jail, were out on bond, or were released with electronic monitors.

Sheriff Ron Brown has said the county needs a 300-bed jail and has suggested a possible three-quarter cent sales tax to build and operate it.