A familiar name appeared in Sunday’s edition of the Wichita Eagle regarding Sedgwick County’s jail issue.

Allen Beck of Justice Concepts Inc. was hired as a consultant by Marion County Commission to assist in a feasibility study of a new Marion County jail in 2007.

The Eagle reported Sunday that Beck had promised to present a plan to Sedgwick County within 10 months as to how the county could reduce its number of inmates.

Ten months have elapsed and there is no report.

Is it possible that Beck was counting on additional jail cells being built in Marion County so Sedgwick County inmates could be shipped here?

One proposal presented to taxpayers last November was to build a jail large enough to take a dozen or two inmates from other counties, including Sedgwick.

A jail committee currently is reviewing options regarding a proposed jail project for Marion County. Among those options is facility large enough to accept out-of-county inmates.

We find it interesting that Sedgwick County is considering the feasibility of shipping out inmates rather than building a new jail.

If it isn’t feasible there, is it really feasible here?

— susan berg