By Susan Vela
ROCKFORD — Population at the Winnebago County Justice Center dipped to a four-year low earlier this month. After the first week of November, inmate numbers were at 765, a nearly 35 percent from an all-time high of 1,170 in May 2012. Local officials attributed the dip to effective teamwork among agencies.
“This dramatic drop in numbers would never have taken place without the cooperative and collaborative work ethic of all departments involved in the criminal justice system,” said County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen in a written statement.
He credited the drop to more staffing. County employees in court administration, court services, the Circuit Court and the sheriff, state’s attorney’s and public defender offices numbered 834 for October, compared to 781 for the same month in 2011.
RichardWanke.Com 
When they built the new justice center Winnebago county didnt need it . The” old”county jail was not that old.The sheriff intentionally stopped maintaining the jail so there would be health concerns, and the courts stoped giving recog bonds so that the jail would be overcrowded. It was a ploy to get the 1 cent tax passed to finance the justice center.I was in that over crowded jail in 2007 .There were 3 to 4 of us prisoners in each 2 man cell and we all Knew why. Our bonds were set high and no recog bonds were alowed so the sheriff could show the high inmate population numbers and justify the new Justice center.When the Lawsuit finally went through for the over crowding only Two of the inmates involved got any compensation. I inquired to attorney Jeff Heckinger,the Attorney that filed the lawsuit on behalf of the inmates, and he sent me a letter stating a federal judge awarded 1 million dollars. Attorney Heckinger and 2 inmates split those proceedes and the judge barred any further action. At least thats what my letter says from Heckinger. I still have that document if any one needs it. Id like to know why out of all the inmates sleeping on the floor with mice and roaches everywhere,only two and an attorney were compensated.Every teir in that jail was at double capacity and it was done on purpose. The jailors even knew it.
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Interesting … it makes sense, but would be hard to prove. We need, definitely, to pay more attention to cases in local courtrooms and to jail issues. Information from someone who has been there is very important.
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