Lang
8/20/25
A survey to determine Johnson County residents’ interest in building a new jail has provided good news for the project’s proponents.
The survey was commissioned by the board of supervisors, and it shows 74% of respondents said they would support building a new jail facility. That number went up to 80% as more information was given about the proposal.
The University of Iowa’s Center for Social Science and Innovation helped administer the survey via mail, and the same group is conducting focus groups about the project. The survey cost the county just over $53,000.
The supervisors hope to put a bond issue to pay for the new jail on the November 2026 ballot. A joint jail and Iowa City Police facility…which is currently under consideration…is expected to cost an estimated $106 million to build.