While outlining a proposed expansion of the maximum-security prison outside of El Dorado the state’s corrections secretary said county jails and private prisons could also house more inmates in the future.

Ray Roberts, Corrections Secretary was outlining the proposed expansion to a legislative committee Monday explaining the state is projected to be 7 percent over its total inmate population capacity by mid-2018.

Housing more inmates in county jails could have a negative impact on small counties including Geary County.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf explained that he’s been aware of the possibility of the Legislature changing sentencing guidelines that could increase county jail populations.

“Therefore what that would do is that any crimes that normally would require prison sentences, they would then be reverted back to the county jails and they would spend their terms in county jails,” said Wolf.

For example Wolf said that if a person were to receive so many DUI’s that would require a prison sentence, instead of spending that time in a state prison they would instead serve at the county jail.

“It would leave the county picking up the tab for housing and keeping the inmates.”

It’s not that the Geary County Detention Center couldn’t hold more inmates, it’s the cost the county would incur by housing more inmates that has Wolf concerned.

“It would mean that budgets would have to be bigger to house these people. The day-to-day upkeep of an individual while they’re sitting in jail, you know that all costs money, and that’s exactly what this is revolving around. The State is looking for ways to cut their costs in the prisons and this is how they’re looking to do it.”

Wolf will continue to keep an eye on the outcome of some of the Secretary’s proposals as there have been no final decisions made at this point.