Boyle County detention center reports reentry programming and state reimbursements for completion rates

The Boyle County Detention Center presented an update to the fiscal court on June 24 about reentry programming, volunteer engagement, inmate services and facility operations.

James (chaplain and reentry coordinator) told magistrates the jail’s two main programs are MRT (a cognitive behavioral, evidence-based curriculum administered through the Department of Corrections) and Portals (life-skills and reentry planning). According to the report, since programming began in 2020, 243 individuals enrolled in MRT and 170 completed the class; staff noted the completion rate is affected when participants are transferred to other state facilities before finishing. The report states completion credits can reduce sentences: 90 days credit for completing MRT and 60 days credit for completing Portals, per state DOC policy referenced by staff.

The presentation also said the state reimburses the county for completions: $1,000 for each MRT completion and $600 for each Portals completion. The reentry coordinator reported a total state allocation used to reimburse counties (mentioned to the court) in the prior fiscal year; the transcript records a county-level reimbursement example but does not list a complete accounting in the spoken record.

Staff described additional reentry services paid from canteen funds or grant support, including helping inmates obtain birth certificates and Social Security cards. The transcript records the jail paying “over $3,000” to obtain identity documents for inmates to remove barriers to reentry; staff said these costs were borne from canteen funds and partnership grants, not the county general fund.

Volunteer engagement and faith-based programming were also discussed. The jail reported 40-plus volunteers coming weekly and reported approximately 130 inmates publicly professing faith in baptisms since 2020; staff framed the programming as part of reducing recidivism and supporting successful reentry.

Facility and staffing figures provided in the report included average daily population figures and staffing levels: the jail’s average daily population was reported with county and state inmates (transcript: average daily population about 54 county, 67 state), and staffing at the time of the report was 35 full-time employees plus part-time staff with two open positions being actively recruited. The jail reported routine inspections with minor deficiencies and described repairs performed on boiler and HVAC systems and responses to a fire at a recycling center that required restricted-custody inmate evacuation; staff said there were no injuries and the smoke damage was cleaned.

The court thanked staff and asked follow-up scheduling for the jail planning/work group. The presentation concluded with an expression of the reentry coordinator’s view that the programs generate reimbursement and reduce recidivism for participants who complete the curricula.

What the record shows and does not: The presentation includes counts of enrollments and completions in MRT and Portals since 2020 and references state reimbursement amounts per completed participant. The transcript records an approximate dollar amount paid from canteen funds to obtain identity documents and reports of volunteer activity, baptisms and facility repairs. The transcript does not provide an itemized fiscal reconciliation or a complete list of individual reimbursements; it records summary statements by jail staff.

Sources: Boyle County Fiscal Court meeting transcript, June 24, 2025; remarks by the Boyle County Detention Center reentry coordinator and jail leadership as recorded in the public meeting transcript.