Slower than expected growth in jail beds benefits taxpayers

New corrections officers for expansion won't be needed this year

A stable inmate population at the Minnehaha County Jail is defying expectations, and that’s good news for the county’s taxpayers.

The 15,150 bookings through the jail in 2023 was a 5 percent decrease over the previous year. The fewer bookings mean that the county won’t need to expand into a third-floor area that is currently vacant.

“We’re not seeing the increase we expected,” Sheriff Mike Milstead told county commissioners this week. “We’re not seeing the increase we projected.”

Minnehaha County upgraded the jail with a $48 million expansion that was completed in 2020. Part of that expansion included room for future growth as the county’s population increased. And while the county’s population increased by 5 percent between 2020 and 2023, there have been steps taken to reduce the need for jail space.