On July 15, it was announced that Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams is one of 17 sheriffs across the state of Colorado that signed a joint letter to Governor Jared Polis alleging that Department of Corrections (DOC) failures have created an “unsustainable burden” on jail operations and taxpayers. The letter explains there is a growing backlog of incarcerated individuals in county jails due to the DOC’s delay in transferring custody.
“At the same time, court-ordered mental health evaluations and transfers to the State Hospital are increasingly delayed, further compounding overcrowding and resource strain,” the letter states. “County jails were never intended — nor funded — to house state inmates for prolonged periods. Yet, across Colorado, counties are being forced to expand housing capacity and increase staffing simply to keep up with the rising number of inmates who should already be in state custody.”
The joint-letter further claims that taxpayers are shouldering the burden of incarceration because there is a shortfall in the state reimbursement. Currently, the state provides $77.16 per inmate per day. This falls short of the actual cost of incarceration by as much as $60 per day per inmate, according to the county sheriffs…