DOTHAN -- Sheriff Andy Hughes blames overcrowding for increased tensions inside the Houston County Jail where nearly two dozen plastic cots to handle the overflow have been placed in a room used for religious and educational purposes.

Last week, the jail had nearly 100 inmates over its capacity at 478 inmates, including 42 convicted state prisoners waiting transfer to a state prison.

Hughes recently asked the County Commission to consider a jail expansion.

"When you've got overcrowding it increases the tension among inmates," Hughes said. "It always seems like a jail is never big enough. It's almost like if you build it they will come."

Commission Chairman Mark Culver said he was aware of the issues at the jail.

"We've got it in our long-range plan," said Culver, who planned to meet with Hughes, District Attorney Doug Valeska and judges within the next month to discuss it.

The jail, which opened in May 2002, cost the county about $10 million, jail Commander Keith Reed said.

The jail is split into 14 pods, which include a variety of single and double cells. Each pod includes a day room with shower facilities, a television, several tables and now several dozen cots that cover the floor with bedding for the overflow inmates.

As many as 75 percent of the inmates are waiting for trial and have not been convicted of a crime.

"Crime has been up and there have been more people arrested in the last few months," said Circuit Court Judge Lawson Little. "This summer we've had a rash in crime, in murder and burglaries and a lot of times that's typical for the summer."

While the number of inmates has grown so has the use of the county's Community Corrections program, said Little, who serves on the board for the program.

Little said that program is near capacity.

"We have tried to utilize the community corrections as much as possible, and that should help," Little said. "If it's a violent crime or selling drugs or things of that nature people are not eligible for community corrections."