There were a record 1,367 inmates at the Jennifer Road Detention Center and Ordnance Road Correctional Center last weekend - 192 more than their official capacity.

"That level of crowding … is far beyond what is safe," Superintendent Robin Harting said yesterday while touring the Jennifer Road Detention Center. She explained that as the inmate population has skyrocketed over the past two months, guards have had to deal with more arguments and fights.

"The tensions go up when it is this crowded," said Officer Todd Matson, surrounded by 85 inmates in a direct-supervision dormitory built for 48. "We don't even have enough room for everyone to sit down and eat."

The record numbers come almost four months after county leaders scrapped a planned jail expansion in favor of building more schools and six weeks after Ms. Harting asked the County Council to support a new $70.7 million jail expansion - 45 percent of which would be paid by the state.

Alan Friedman, the county's director of government relations, said this morning the council needs to commit to the proposed bonds by the end of this month or miss out next year on state funding for the project. He said that would force the $29.3 million first phase of the project, which already won't result in any new jail beds until 2012, to be delayed for at least another year.

He plans to speak with councilmen over the next couple of weeks, but noted the council wasn't keen on the capital project in May.

"We're here because the council didn't want to move forward," he said. "The message we got was they didn't want to move forward."

County councilmen yesterday remained cool to the full three-phase project, saying they need more information about the county's finances before they can pledge the money.

"I still have the same concerns about committing the money," said Councilman Josh Cohen, noting the county is nine months away from approving a new budget.

"The administration is going to have to come on the record and say we need ($38.9) million and here is how we are going to get it," said Councilman Jamie Benoit.

There are currently no plans for Ms. Harting or Mr. Friedman to formally address the council about the jail expansion.

The problems

There were 1,264 inmates in the two jails yesterday, 89 more than their official capacity.

That's also substantially more than usual for the already crowded jail. According to county statistics, the average daily population of the two jails was 1,153 in 2007.

Ms. Harting attributed most of the increase to city and county police, who she said are making more felony arrests. Those charges generally carry higher bonds, which are therefore harder to pay.

City and county police could not confirm this morning if they were arresting more people.

At the same time, Ms. Harting said county judges seem to be handing down more 18-month sentences - which means more inmates are in jail longer.

"We are kind of getting pummeled from both sides," Ms. Harting said.

She has shared the population information with both the county's District Court and Circuit Courts and asked the judges to use restraint in sending people to jails only on the weekend.

"Ultimately it is the courts who decide," she said.

Private consultants have previously projected the county will need 1,634 jail beds by 2012 and 1,877 beds by 2017. Ms. Harting said yesterday she would like the consultants to look at the numbers again in light of the recent surge.

County Executive John R. Leopold announced in May he would delay the maximum-security jail expansion at Ordnance Road and funnel $2 million in design money toward repairing Folger McKinsey and Belle Grove Elementary Schools. County schools have a $1.5 billion backlog in capital projects, according to a recent study.

Stop-gap measures

Long out of beds already, jail officials are stuffing three of the four "direct-supervision" units at the Jennifer Road Detention Center with inmates awaiting trial.

The units were designed to hold 48, but have long housed 68 - the maximum allowed under the officer's union contract.

Ms. Harting is now using overtime and plastic cots to cram as many as 85 inmates in each unit.

The direct-supervision units feature a large day room with tables flanked by lockable, 9-bunk, bedrooms, a public bathroom and shower, and a small multi-purpose classroom. Guards mingle with prisoners in the unit.

Ms. Harting said she also has taken the unusual action and transferred 67 "pre-trial," minimum- and medium-security inmates to Ordnance Road.

"Jennifer Road is out of space," she said, explaining her next step will be to overcrowd the direct-supervision units at Ordnance Road.

On weekends, Ms. Harting said, she is using the gymnasium at the Ordnance Road Correction Center to house many of the inmates who participate in the county's popular weekend program. She said more than 100 inmates serve their sentences at county jails only on the weekend.

"The officers at this point are the ones making this work," she said, explaining how some guards work more than 60 hours a week.

The prisoners

Nine men sat on their cots yesterday afternoon inside a former classroom at the Jennifer Road Detention Center. The men, all residents of Direct-Supervision Unit D-3, sleep inches from each other as their T-shirts and laundry hang over their heads from dry erase boards.

"It's very frustrating. We have no where to walk. No where to eat," said Richard Jones, who is awaiting trial on numerous drug and handgun charges. He said he's been in and out of jail for seven years but this stint is the worst.

Outside, in the unit's main room, large groups of men sit at plastic tables, playing cards, and talking. A small television hangs in a back corner, ignored by most in the room.

Evan Watson, who is awaiting trial on theft charges, said the tight quarters lead to regular arguments and fights over the television and the phone.

"We are just hoping they get along," said Terry Kokolis, the Jennifer Road Detention Center administrator.