More jail cells for Houston?

The Harris County Jail is still overcrowded, reports the Houston Chronicle ("Crowded jails get top billing at budget review," Sept. 27):

The sheriff's office is projecting its jail population will average nearly 9,800 inmates this year, more than 1,330 above jail capacity, says a report by the county's budget office.

The Harris County Commissioners Court is considering a massive jail expansion as part of a proposed $666 million bond proposal that will go before voters in November 2007. See prior Grits coverage of Harris County's jail overcrowding crisis, and Grits' suggested best practices to reduce jail overcrowding.