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Officials say Little Sandy expansion on track; phased inmate moves, about 200 new staff planned
Summary
Deputy Commissioner Scott Jordan told lawmakers the Little Sandy Correctional Complex expansion is on schedule for February completion, with phased moves of roughly 50 inmates per week and an estimated 200 additional staff to be hired as population ramps up.
Scott Jordan, deputy commissioner of adult institutions for the Kentucky Department of Corrections, told the House Committee on Justice, Public Safety and Judiciary subcommittee that construction on the Little Sandy Correctional Complex expansion is on schedule and the projected completion date is February.
Jordan said once the expansion is complete the department will move inmates into the new beds at a rate of about 50 a week "because that is a safe and manageable amount," and that the department expects to hire roughly 200 additional staff to support the expanded facility. "We move 50 a week because that is a safe and manageable amount," Jordan said. "The total staff that we'll hire to the expansion is somewhere in the neighborhood of about 200 more staff."
He told the committee the department is actively recruiting for security, programming, education, reentry, medical and food‑service positions but that new hires will not all be filled before inmate movement begins. "We will not fill those positions until we start to increase inmate population so we can fill them in a physical responsible manner," Jordan said. The department plans to onboard staff as populations rise so training and staffing align with phased moves.
A representative asked for the facility’s bed count and construction cost. Jordan said the facility currently houses more than 1,000 beds and that, when the expansion is complete, capacity will be close to 2,000 beds. He did not have the total construction cost available at the meeting and said the department would provide that information to the committee. "I don't have that with me, but that's something we could report back," Jordan said.
Committee members asked whether the department anticipates problems fully staffing as inmates are moved in. Jordan said the department does not anticipate staffing problems in the Little Sandy area, noting historically strong staffing in Eastern Kentucky and that the department expects to be competitive in recruitment.
Ending: The department committed to provide the requested construction cost and other details to the committee; no formal action or vote was taken on the expansion at the meeting.
