What's the cost to keep federal inmates at the jail?
Comments 8 | Recommend 3
June 12, 2010 9:23 PM
Robert Boyer

Between July 2006 and June 2010, renting jail bed space to federal authorities will gross more than $17.4 million for Alamance County, according to figures contained in county budgets covering the period.

By budget year, the county earned these amounts:

-- Just over $1.1 million for 2006-07

-- More than $4.3 million for 2007-08

--Almost $5.97 million for 2008-09

-- $6 million for 2009-10

The $6 million figure is based on an estimate the sheriff’s office provided to the county manager for his 2010-11 recommended budget. Bed rental revenues for the upcoming 2010-11 budget, which begins July 1, are estimated to climb to $6.15 million.

But other county reports for the budget years 2007-08 and 2008-09 that include other inmate revenues like Immigration Customs Enforcement transfer fees and inmate pay phone, court and medical fees, report slightly higher revenue figures.

According to finance department figures acquired by a source in county government, the jail brought in nearly $4.02 million in revenue for 2007-08.

According to another county report, the jail generated nearly $6.62 million in revenues for 2008-09.

The latter report, entitled “Alamance County Detention Revenue Report For Fiscal Year 2008-09,â€