08 November 2005

Another Failure Of The Jail.

Denver is again paying for its sloth in addressing its jail space crisis. A man accused of burglary escaped from the Smith Road facility yesterday evening. This facility is currently housing inmates in tents because it has insufficient space. A proposal to build a new jail at 6th Avenue and I-25 was rejected at the end of Mayor Webb's administration. Mayor Hickenlooper then secured voter approval for a new jail and criminal court at the site of the Rocky Mountain News Building downtown next to the Mint. The design process is underway, but it will be years before the project is complete.

Last month, Frank Ortega paid for the jail overcrowding crisis with his life. His family is now considering its options.

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