Little Rock, Arkansas – The Arkansas Board of Corrections has taken major action by acquiring control over two county correctional facilities in a strategic attempt to alleviate the ongoing overcrowding in state prisons. The decision came from a Thursday vote that further underlines the state’s continuous attempts to boost inmate capacity and improve penitentiary administration.
Arkansas has struggled for years with an inmate count much above the capacity of its current state-run facilities. Driven by governor’s office initiatives and in response to these difficulties, the Board of Corrections has lately taken a more forceful approach toward facility management and growth.
Among the significant changes is the takeover of the Mississippi County Work Release Center, a facility the state leased starting in 1999. Originally utilized for a work-release program, this center lets prisoners participate in local community tasks including regional maintenance and gardening, therefore helping with their rehabilitation and somewhat offsetting some of the costs of incarceration. The Department of Corrections intends to erect an extra structure on the grounds of the new acquisition to house up to 100 more prisoners, thus augmenting the current capacity of 186 beds in a facility certified for just 144.
In addition, the Board decided to take over the Phillips County Jail in order to negotiate a 40-year lease. Earlier in the year, this facility was under consideration for closure following announcements by Phillips County Judge Clark Hall about intentions to close it due to notable staff cuts within the sheriff’s office. The new configuration with the state will keep the jail functioning, designating twenty of its beds specifically for county usage, therefore guaranteeing ongoing local law enforcement support.
For Arkansas, these actions offer two benefits. They not only free state jail capacity from strain but also guarantee the ongoing running of county prisons that may otherwise be closed. Arkansas is establishing a model for more efficient management of correctional populations by including these institutions into the state’s system of operations by means of inmate employment programs, therefore benefitting local communities. The proactive attitude of the Board of Corrections shows a major step toward an Arkansas correctional system with more integration and sustainability.
