Alamance considers federal deal for its jail
Does anyone know how this went? Were they able to get money from the federal govt? Seems like a great way to solve two problems. Great growth industry with endless supply of cash flow...
http://link.toolbot.com/news-record.com/23052
News
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Alamance considers federal deal for its jail
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By Eric J.S. Townsend
Staff Writer
GRAHAM — In theory, at least, the federal government might end up covering the cost of running Alamance County’s jail.
With one caveat: The jail would house as many as 100 illegal immigrants who await deportation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
Whether such a deal happens remains to be decided by county commissioners, who were briefed Wednesday afternoon by Sheriff Terry Johnson on four options that could be made with federal officials.
The county is exploring its options for a $10 million jail expansion set to open this summer. With just shy of 500 beds between the old and new facilities, plus a nearby small jail annex, law enforcement officials hope to rent out extra space.
If immigrants filled the empty beds, officials said its payments might cover the cost of running the entire jail.
The space would be filled with illegal immigrants who broke the law, served their sentence and are scheduled for deportation.
The federal agency would join with the U.S. Marshals Service on the contract. The Alamance jail holds 29 federal prisoners, and the Marshals Service is seeking additional space there.
Any agreement would affect Guilford County, which, as of Wednesday, listed 11 inmates housed in Alamance County as part of an effort to relieve overcrowding in Greensboro.
Alamance sheriff’s spokesman Randy Jones said his office’s agreements with Guilford and Cabarrus counties likely would not be renewed to make room for federal detainees.
Commissioners must choose between four options:
• No partnership;
• A detention-only deal;
• A partnership where deputies drive immigrants to and from the county as well as jailing them; or
• Train six deputies to assist the agency in apprehension and transporting illegal immigrants to the Mexican border.
Driving detainees or assisting in apprehension would cost $169,000 and $316,000 a year, on top of startup costs, according to estimates Johnson provided to commissioners.
Housing the illegal immigrants would not be an additional cost since the jail must be staffed at the same levels regardless of inmate population.
"I feel the fight to secure our homelands must start here at home," Johnson told leaders as he read from a statement.
"We must clearly send the right message in whatever we choose to do."
Contact Eric J.S. Townsend at 373-7008 or etownsend@news-record.com
