Conditions at the Warren County Jail again top the list of grand jury concerns enumerated in an official report.

As grand juries have for at least four years, this week’s panel put the jail No. 1 on its list of recommendations, saying a new facility is needed for jailer and prisoner safety as well as to improve working conditions for deputies and administrative staff who have offices at the Cherry and Grove street facility.

“We are concerned with how long it is taking to make a change in the conditions of the jail,” jurors wrote. “We are informed the Board (of supervisors) is proceeding with diligence concerning the decisions to be made about the new facility and it is our hope this project will come to fruition as soon as possible.”

Second on the list of six recommendations is full-funding of the third assistant district attorney position, currently held by Lane Campbell and funded by a state grant.

Jurors were also concerned with youth crime and recommended “that the citizens of Warren County contact and urge all local legislators to become more intimately involved with juvenile justice issues as a long-term solution toward reducing crime in our county.”

Though lower on the list, the need for an additional courtroom for trials also appeared on the grand jury’s list of recommendations, with an aim toward expediting cases. For many years, supervisors have rented a former auto dealership on Clay Street for use by Warren County Drug Court and, occasionally, for trials.

Most of the inmates at the century-old jail, remodeled and expanded in the 1970s but consistently filled to its 128-bed capacity, are pre-trial detainees. Processing cases faster has been one of the issues cited by consulting firm Voorhis/Robinson Justice Services Inc. as a means of reducing the jail population, and the option of including a second courtroom in a new jail is one supervisors are considering.

Supervisors contracted with the Colorado-based jail planning firm in 2008 to undertake an analysis of the dated Warren County facility and plan its replacement. The consultants’ final report suggests a site on which to build a modern jail capable of housing 350 to 650 inmates be selected by August.

How to pay for the project has been a sticking point with county officials, given the estimated cost at $20 to $30 million plus a tripling of staff.

Most of the existing jail dates to 1979, but a portion is more than 100 years old. It was removed as a Mississippi Department of Corrections-certified institution a number of years ago, among other things meaning state inmates eligible for outside work details cannot be housed there.

Grand jurors, sworn in Monday by presiding Judge Isadore Patrick, toured the jail along with the Warren County Children’s Shelter and the Youth Court as part of their service.

Full funding for the children’s shelter was among the report recommendations, which concluded with a request to fund a county firing range for law enforcement certifications.

As their primary responsibility, the 18 grand jurors reviewed evidence in 90 criminal cases against 107 individuals, and issued indictments in 83 of the cases and no-bills in seven.

They also met with District Attorney Ricky Smith, Sheriff Martin Pace, Youth Court Judge Johnny Price and Youth Court Prosecutor Ricky Johnson.

The jury concluded its service Thursday but if necessary can be called back to hear additional cases before the next term begins July 26.