WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The Jefferson County sheriff says he needs to move money in order to move inmates between jails. It’s because the county jail is unable to house any more female inmates.
Sheriff Pete Barnett says about a quarter of the women in the jail need to be sent to other facilities and it can be pricey.
The facility has 172 cells, including 32 specifically for women. Right now though, those cells are almost completely occupied.
“We’re always close. We’re running high, right around 150 to 160,” said Barnett.
While the female pod itself has 32 cells, the New York State Commission of Correction requires that 4 of those cells remain open for medical or disciplinary reasons.
With 37 female inmates currently under Jefferson County’s watch, Barnett has needed to relocate or “outboard” 9 of those women.
Barnett says it’s important to have these overflow cells available, especially now, as the population of Jefferson County increases in the summer months – a time when some crimes, like alcohol-related ones, go up.
Barnett is asking the county legislature for approval to move $225,000 from his department’s Contingent and Personal Services accounts to fund outboarding female inmates.
“We only have one pod for females. If that number grows, we have to house out. So we have to have some additional money; we’re only halfway through the year,” said Barnett.
With overtime, and transportation costs, the sheriff says outboarding can cost $100 per day, per inmate. It can be more depending on where the inmate is housed, and if they have additional court appearances.
“If they have a court date here, it is my responsibility to go get them and bring them back for their court appearance, and then bring them back to Rensselaer County (or another jail). That gets very costly,” he said.
Barnett says Jefferson County is not alone in facing these issues. It has also housed inmates for other counties when the numbers are lower at the Jefferson County Jail.
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