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Committee rejects motion to require 30‑day notice to federal agencies to end federal detainee contracts; jail overcrowding fuels debate
Summary
The Washington County Services Committee voted down a motion Oct. 28 that would have asked the sheriff to give federal agencies 30 days27 notice to stop using county jail beds for federal detainees, a proposal supporters said was needed because the jail is operating at or over capacity.
Washington County27s Services Committee considered a resolution Oct. 28 asking the sheriff and contracting entities to give 30 days27 notice to federal agencies to cease housing federal detainees in the county jail. The proposal, put forward by Justice Rivera Lopez, challenged the practice of carrying federal detainees when the jail is operating at or near capacity and when county law gives priority to in‑county municipal prisoners.
The resolution cited Arkansas Code Annotated 12‑41‑506(d) ("county shall give priority to in‑county municipalities over contracts for out‑of‑county prisoners") and 12‑41‑503(g) (jails shall accept U.S. prisoners "provided space and staffing are available" and the delivering agency agrees to pay per diem). Lopez said the county did not have space…
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