Dominion Post – Counties in West Virginia are responsible for a lot of bills — including the cost of housing inmates from the county being held in regional jails. That makes the 81% increase in inmate population from 2000-2019 a problem for some counties. Read the full article.
That population increase was one finding in a report by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy released this month. The report found the state’s regional jails are primarily used to hold people who are awaiting trial. Each has been charged with a crime but are unable to afford bail.
From 2014-19, jail billing outpaced jail spending statewide. Payments by counties to jails increased 0.3% in that time while the total bill increased 7%.
