The public is invited to a town hall-style meeting about Beaufort County’s jail and the local justice system. The event comes on the tails of a jail and justice system assessment performed this week by representatives from the National Institute of Corrections.

The meeting will be held Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., in the Civil Courtroom located on the first floor of the Beaufort County Courthouse.

“This assessment will give everyone an idea of where our system and facilities stand when compared to industry standards and best practices,” Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Charlie Rose wrote in a press release.

The analysis is performed by representatives selected by NIC, who interview jail and judicial system employees, as well as stakeholders in both entities, according to Lt. Kathryn Bryan, administrator of the Beaufort County Detention Center. The accumulated information results in an objective assessment of a facility’s needs, as well as observations about the local justice system that affect the jail population, which will be discussed at the Thursday meeting, she said.

“They’ll answer a lot of questions from the public — and interviewees will — and they’ll present some opportunities for improvement, some talking points moving forward,” Bryan said. “What they’re not going to say is whether we need a new jail.”

In November 2015, Rose informed Beaufort County Board of Commissioners that Sheriff Ernie Coleman would be requesting the NIC assessment, which is one of many services offered by NIC free of charge.

“I’d like to thank the Sheriff and Chief Deputy for moving forward with this. I think it’s long overdue,” Commissioner Ron Buzzeo responded at the time.

The state of the Beaufort County Detention Center has been a contentious issue for more than a decade. An effort to build a new jail at the Chocowinity Industrial Park was scrapped after the 2014 election, when the majority of the Board of Commissioners in favor of a new jail became a minority. The county had already approved nearly $2 million in expenses associated with jail planning.

Bryan said all residents are welcome to attend the meeting. A written report of the findings also will be produced at later date.

“This is not the sheriff’s jail. It’s the community’s jail, and everyone should be very interested in coming to the town meeting on Thursday,” Bryan said.