The Need
The current facility, opened in 1981, houses the Sheriff’s Office and the jail in a single two-story building. It was designed for 46 inmates and 50 staff.
The building has a total of 28,500 square feet. The jail, located on the second floor, was double-bunked in 1990 and has a total bed capacity of 92. However, to meet today's operational needs and classification requirements, the capacity is 65 inmates.
Structural concerns
The building is aging and deteriorating, leading to numerous infrastructure problems, including structural concerns, leaking water and sewer pipes, and failing HVAC.
Metal supports on the exterior of the building are rusty and pulling away from the brick.
The roof was replaced in 2002 and is showing significant deterioration and has known active leaks. The mechanical equipment is in very poor condition and needs to be replaced along with the roof.
Water exposure and structural fatigue have caused parts of the building to shift and deteriorate. To address these immediate concerns, the county is spending $3.2 million to keep the building safe and habitable.
View jail condition assessments, space needs assessments, and inspection reports.
Environmental concerns
Water and sewer pipes from the jail frequently leak into first-floor offices and workspaces. This damages County property and documents and poses health risks to the staff.
Safety
People held in jail must be housed in safe and humane conditions.
The building does not meet accessibility guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Aging cell doors require regular maintenance to ensure safe operation.
Building limitations
The current jail lacks enough housing units to provide the proper separation of inmates required for safety and compliance with standards.
The current medical space does not meet the needs of inmates or the facility.
One single-stall women’s bathroom exists on the first floor for a staff of 29 women.
The current facility lacks designated exercise space for inmates.
The facility was designed for 50 staff and is currently used by 100.
Hallways in the facility are narrow, crowded with stacked mattresses and laundry carts because there’s no storage.
Cost to maintain
Repairing older facilities results in continued maintenance costs without solving operational problems. Johnson County has exceeded the budgeted amount for repairs at the Sheriff’s Office.
Johnson County continues to invest in maintaining the existing facility, including monthly structural monitoring and a $1,885,400 contract with Peak Construction Group for building stabilization.
In the current fiscal year, the county will spend $3.2 million on facility needs to keep the space safe and habitable.
An assessment in 2024 showed the roof of the current facility needs to be replaced and will cost between $427,500 and $712,500.
Out-of-county costs
In 2025, the jail averaged 20 inmates housed out of county daily. Johnson County inmates have been housed in Cedar, Henry, Jackson, Linn, Muscatine, and Washington Counties due to inadequate space.
This has cost Johnson County over $1,844,755.
Johnson County has spent $16.6 million on housing inmates out of county from 2001-2025.
The current average bed cost is $62 per bed per day.
In addition to cost, staff and resources are used to transfer inmates, which reduces their time spent elsewhere.
