Winnebago County Justice Center

The Criminal Justice Center was constructed during the Chairman’s first term of office. Support of the 1% sales tax referendum facilitated construction of the center which houses 1,212 beds, 4 courtrooms, and offices for the Sheriff’s Department. Throughout the construction, Scott made sure that county resident’s were informed as to how the Public Safety funds were being spent. He continually looked for ways to speed up the system and authorized an enhanced technology program to better provide information to all the court-related departments in a more timely fashion. He found a way to save just under $3 million dollars in the construction of the cells in the Center, and low bond interest rates that he secured saved another half million.

Beyond providing a solution for overcrowding, the County Sheriff and State’s Attorney offer alternatives to incarceration and rehabilitation programs, as promised. Drug courts, mental health programs, day reporting, GED, and job skills training offer inmates the opportunity to improve their behavior. This decreases the likelihood of repeat offenders, reducing crime and the costs associated with it. This countywide initiative has been strengthened by Scott’s unwavering social and ethical responsibility along with his firm commitment to manage tax dollars responsibly.