The new Sullivan County Jail is about 60 percent done, according to county officials.

They say it's an important project, because the current jail is outdated with poor infrastructure. Workers have built most of the outside, and are working on the inside. Updated features will include a higher inmate capacity with room for expansion, and a modular design to let corrections officers oversee more inmates. One guard will be able to watch more than 48 inmates at a time. 

"In our old jail, we have as low as one to six ratio of guards [to] inmates, so that makes it a much more labor-intensive facility to run than this one will be," said Sullivan County DPW Commissioner Ed McAndrew.

The new county jail will need fewer employees, but officials don't anticipate layoffs because of employee attrition. Construction is scheduled to be completed in a year.