Officials discuss expanding county lockup

MERCER, Pa. -- The long-awaited new Mercer County Jail may have to undergo expansion in a few years.
Mercer County Commissioner Brian Beader said at Tuesday's chief clerk's meeting that he thinks the jail may have to be expanded. Last week's prisoner census was 230 and the capacity of the new facility, set for a Nov. 9 dedication, is 266.
But District Attorney James Epstein, who is chairman of the county prison board, said that he thinks the jail should serve the county adequately "for the foreseeable future."
Commissioner Olivia Lazor said she thinks federal and state sentencing mandates will force the county to jail more offenders.
But Epstein disagreed, saying the courts are making extensive use of house arrest and other alternatives to keep down the number of offenders who must be incarcerated.