Scott County looking for ways to ease jail crowding

One of the state’s largest county jails is facing a common problem: how to deal with constant overcrowding. A report released Wednesday on the Scott County Jail in Davenport concludes alternatives must be found for when the jail hits its 208-prisoner capacity. County administrator Glen Erickson says they will take prisoners to other jails if they get to capacity.Prisoners who are considered low-risk are often released before their sentences are up, instead of them being sent to other county jails at a high price. Scott County Board Chairman Carol Schaeffer says he doesn’t expect any fast action on the report. He says they have a set of information, but don’t have the answers yet. A Scott County jail referendum failed in 1998.