(VA) Money woes hit jails with fewer federal prisoners

[unhappycamper]

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/01/money-woes-hit-jails-fewer-federal-prisoners

Money woes hit jails with fewer federal prisoners
By Mike Connors
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 20, 2014

South Hampton Roads jails are finding ways to deal with lost revenue after they renegotiated agreements to retain federal prisoners.

Jails receive federal money to house such prisoners. The U.S. Marshals Service looks for cost-effective housing options. Last summer, it worked a deal where the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office agreed to lower its per diem charge from $63 to $55.

Norfolk, Chesapeake and the Western Tidewater Regional Jail - which serves Suffolk, Franklin and Isle of Wight County - followed suit; Portsmouth does not house federal prisoners. Chesapeake's per diem recently dropped from $65 to $52 and Western Tidewater's from $65 to $55. Norfolk's remained at $44.50, but it agreed to pick up transportation costs.

One hope when the deals were reached was that the jails would take in more federal prisoners, getting them from other localities charging higher rates. In the meantime, some of the local jails are figuring out other ways to balance their books.

[bemildred]

1. Can kickbacks be far behind?

Soon there will go hordes of lobbyists competing for prison inmates.

[atreides1]

2. They want to ballance their books?

One way is to quit trying to become a paramilitary force by buying or accepting military surplus equipment!

Even a free armored vehicle still requires parts and maintenance...

[pscot]

3. The Karmic effect of prison keeping must be awful

These folks are binding themselves to the wheel as dung beetles forever.