The Legislative Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority met Sunday afternoon inside the Dean’s Suite at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown.
David Price, County Commissioner from Preston County, spoke to the committee about the unique challenges his county faces as it relates to regional jail costs.
The current per diem rate, the cost of incarcerating one person for one day in regional jail, has been artificially capped at $48.25 since 2018. The legislature passed a bill in the 2022 regular session to keep that rate intact through June 30, 2023. The actual cost to incarcerate one person for one day in one of the state’s 10 regional jails is currently $54.13 according to calculations by the State Budget Office.
Price said Preston County, with a yearly operating budget of $9 million, faces costs that are not factored into the per diem rate, such as transport costs to regional jails from a rural county and the wear and tear that those vehicles consistently incur.
Price believes more widely available drug treatment facilities are needed in his area, citing that the drug problem is a leading driver of incarceration. He also noted that while clearing dilapidated homes is needed, the inhabitants of those structures often end up in the regional jail system, adding to costs.
Price said home confinement has helped ease some costs in Preston County and believes that could be an option to help counties throughout the state.
Brad Douglas, Chief of Staff of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation was on hand Sunday afternoon but did not give prepared remarks. He informed the committee that he was more than willing to provide members with whatever information they needed to deal with the cost issue.
Members discussed the intention to form a working group with all stakeholders over the summer in an attempt to come up with solutions for regional jail costs. They hope to offer a report of their findings and suggestions to the full legislature by September.
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