Wharton County leaders are exploring options for jail expansion, though a new facility is still years away. Commissioners approved a $50,000 study to decide whether to add to the existing jail or build a new one. The county’s jail, currently holding 168 inmates, is nearing capacity. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards recommends increasing capacity to 192 beds in the next decade. Adding a new 220-bed jail would cost up to $50 million, while expanding the current jail would cost less but still require tax increases.