GCSO secures 42 percent fee increase to house federal prisoners

Graham County Jail - David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

SAFFORD — On Tuesday, the Graham County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a change in the agreement between the Graham County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S Department of Justice to provide temporary housing of prisoners for the U.S. Marshal’s Office.

“Right now, we’ve got 22 in there as of this morning,” Sheriff P.J. Allred said. “We are currently getting $53 a day per inmate.”

Under the new agreement Allred negotiated, the Sheriff’s Office will receive$75 per day per inmate.

“I wish it could be more,” said Supervisor John Howard. “In this day and age, the cost of things have just skyrocketed, so good for you.”

The U.S. Marshal’s Office is responsible for pre-sentenced federal prisoners. Of the current 63,000 awaiting sentencing, 75 percent are housed in local facilities through contracts with state and county governments across the country. The remainder are housed in federal prisons.

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