County seeking more funds for housing federal prisoners

The Jackson County Commissioners recently agreed to hire a law firm to negotiate a higher per diem rate for housing U.S. Marshals Service prisoners in the county jail. 

At a recent Jackson County Commission meeting, Undersheriff John Calhoon discussed entering into an agreement to renegotiate the daily rate the county receives for housing federal prisoners in the Jackson County Jail.

Calhoon said the jail currently houses an average of about 25 U.S. Marshals Service prisoners at any given time. Jackson County is paid $70 per prisoner per day, and the county is not responsible for the cost of healthcare for those prisoners. The current rate has not been increased since 2021, he said. 

He also said that, compared to five other regional jails who house prisoners for the U.S. Marshals Service, Jackson County has the lowest rate. 

Calhoon estimated that the new negotiated rate could generate an additional $250,000 a year for the jail. 

To pursue an increase, Calhoon recommended contracting with the Summerill Law Firm of Washington D.C., which specializes in negotiating per diem rates for local jails that house federal prisoners. Under the proposed agreement, the firm would be paid by taking the difference between the current rate and the newly negotiated rate for the first 90 days of the new contract.

Calhoon said the firm will attempt to increase the per diem rate to $92 per day, though he noted a more typical outcome would likely fall between $85 and $90 per prisoner per day.

The commissioners discussed the proposal and ultimately approved a motion to move forward with the Summerill Law Firm.

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