The average daily population at the Henderson County Detention Center continues to increase, Sheriff Lowell Griffin said  at the Henderson County Board of Commissioners’ budget workshop Wednesday, prompting concerns about overcrowding.

The average inmate count in 2019 was 189.18, up from 176 in 2018, 172.5 in 2017, 140.5 in 2016 and 150.55 in 2015.

The Detention Center is a 222-bed facility. The national standard, however, says a jail is full at 80%, Griffin explained, since some inmates have to be housed alone due to medical and behavioral issues. That would put the local jail full at 178 inmates.

Wednesday, Griffin said 197 inmates were in the jail, a number that’s down compared to recent weeks.

To deal with overcrowding, the county has sent inmates to facilities in Polk, Transylvania and Buncombe counties, at a cost of $52,984.

Griffin said it’s time to look to the future, and it would be reasonable to do a study in order to move forward.

The jail processed just under 5,000 inmates last year, he said. Commissioner Rebecca McCall asked how many inmates are jailed for drug-related issues and need treatment. Griffin said most inmates are currently housed for “pretty serious offenses.”

Chairman Grady Hawkins said the county needs to get started looking at the issue, do the work to fund a target-number facility and figure out how to get there.