Delaware County has secured a contract to house federal inmates, set to take effect on July 1. Sheriff Tony Skinner announced the successful agreement last week, following approximately nine months of negotiations and collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service. This collaboration will enable the county to provide housing services for federal inmates. Under the terms of the contract, the federal government will compensate the county at a rate of $60 per day for each inmate, with a maximum capacity of 50 inmates being placed in Delaware County at any given time.

This agreement has the potential to generate significant revenue for the jail, potentially reaching $3,000 per day at maximum capacity. Additionally, the federal government will cover the expenses associated with transporting the federal inmates, including transportation to federal courts, as well as reimburse the county for mileage costs incurred during the process.

The endeavor to secure a contract with the federal government was initiated due to the anticipated decrease in the number of inmates from other counties. Delaware County had previously been responsible for housing most of Henry County’s inmates until the latter opened its own correctional facility last year. The revenue generated from providing housing services for federal inmates has been crucial in improving the compensation for employees within the sheriff’s department over the past few years.

Delaware County was considered an ideal candidate for housing federal prisoners prior to conviction due to its close proximity to the Federal Courthouse in Indianapolis and the presence of a dedicated medical staff within the local jail.

During a council meeting on Tuesday, Chief Deputy Sheriff Jeff Stanley informed the Delaware County Council that a contract had been successfully reached, prompting applause from the attendees. Sheriff Skinner clarified that federal prisoners would not be retained in the local jail after conviction. However, while housed in the jail, federal inmates will be treated no differently from other inmates.

It is expected that federal inmates will gradually begin to arrive after July 1. Sheriff Skinner assured that the correctional staff is adequately prepared to handle the increased jail population. Additionally, federal officials have given their assurance that they will not inundate the facility with a large number of inmates on the first day.

This story originally appeared in the Muncie Star Press on June 27th, 2023. Portions of this article have been generated using artificial intelligence.