Out-of-town criminals in our jail could mean more cash
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Wash. -- Making our prisoners someone else's problem. It's more common as jails across our region are filled to capacity.
It's been a lingering problem.
Franklin County Sheriff, Richard Lathim tells KEPR, "We've outgrown the existing jail because of population growth and the amount of people that need to be locked up."
An easy solution? Send them somewhere else. Prisons and jails across the state are transferring more inmates to other jails to do their time. But, it comes at a hefty price. It's $60 a day just to have one of our inmates stay at another jail. $66,000 every month of your tax dollars for 40 inmates. This just pays for housing. Other costs factor into the transfers.
The Sheriff explains, "They need to be here for court, so that just increases costs in transportation, if you don't have them here in jail."
The costs are just too much for Franklin County, but they say when the new jail is built, they'll be able to use inmate transfers as a way to make money.
"When the jails fully completed, we should have space available because we're building a jail to serve our needs for a couple decades, so the potential to have space is there," says Lathim.
The jail tax that passed last November covers the cost of building the new facility. Once it's ready, there could be more money needed to keep it running.
He continues, "There's things we probably won't be able to fully fund in the new jail, so there may be a few benefits to look at that."
For now, the sheriff counts down 1 and a half years until finishing the first phase of the jail while managing these inmates without wasting your money.
Lathim says, "It might be a little crowded, a little tight but our main concern is public safety, is keeping the public safe, so as long as we can do that, we'll just keep our prisoners here."
The new jail will also see save money over time because the building will utilize energy efficient lights and heating systems.
It's been a lingering problem.
Franklin County Sheriff, Richard Lathim tells KEPR, "We've outgrown the existing jail because of population growth and the amount of people that need to be locked up."
An easy solution? Send them somewhere else. Prisons and jails across the state are transferring more inmates to other jails to do their time. But, it comes at a hefty price. It's $60 a day just to have one of our inmates stay at another jail. $66,000 every month of your tax dollars for 40 inmates. This just pays for housing. Other costs factor into the transfers.
The Sheriff explains, "They need to be here for court, so that just increases costs in transportation, if you don't have them here in jail."
The costs are just too much for Franklin County, but they say when the new jail is built, they'll be able to use inmate transfers as a way to make money.
"When the jails fully completed, we should have space available because we're building a jail to serve our needs for a couple decades, so the potential to have space is there," says Lathim.
The jail tax that passed last November covers the cost of building the new facility. Once it's ready, there could be more money needed to keep it running.
He continues, "There's things we probably won't be able to fully fund in the new jail, so there may be a few benefits to look at that."
For now, the sheriff counts down 1 and a half years until finishing the first phase of the jail while managing these inmates without wasting your money.
Lathim says, "It might be a little crowded, a little tight but our main concern is public safety, is keeping the public safe, so as long as we can do that, we'll just keep our prisoners here."
The new jail will also see save money over time because the building will utilize energy efficient lights and heating systems.
