Arkansas Department of Corrections in North Little Rock on June 5, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
A Mississippi County facility and the Phillips County Jail will provide additional expansion opportunities for the Arkansas Board of Corrections, following approval from board members at a special-called meeting Thursday afternoon.
At the request of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders following passage of the Protect Arkansas Act , the Board of Corrections has been brainstorming ways to quickly expand prison infrastructure to take pressure off overcrowded county jails.
Officials also anticipate needing additional space because the Protect Act removes the possibility of parole for the most serious offenders.
Arkansas officials plan immediate bed expansions while they await new prison
Sanders announced plans for a 3,000-bed prison last March, but its development is still in the preliminary stages. Prison officials are currently working alongside Sanders to select an “owner’s representative,” who will provide design, engineering and construction advice for the new prison.