YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — The Yakima County jail is seeing an exodus of inmates as cities and counties around the state find other facilities offering better deals to house their prisoners.
The Herald-Republic says that since mid-December, the number of “contract inmates” housed at the jail dropped to 30 from what had once been 300. That’s a big problem for the county — possibly a $7 million hole in the jail’s $32 million budget.
The newspaper says the county is being underbid by other jails around the state to hold excess prisoners from cities in King County. Corrections Director Ed Campbell says he may have to lay off 33 people, eliminate other positions and renegotiate some contracts to fill the gap.
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Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic, http://www.yakima-herald.com
