Getting A Handle On Overcrowded Jail

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Story Published: Oct 18, 2009 at 7:07 PM PDT

By Sade Malloy

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ELLENSBURG -- More than just stuffy an overcrowded jail is costly. Action News has been tracking the Kittitas County Corrections Center for the past year as they try to get a handle on their inmate population. Adding more beds helped, but they've had to take a new approach to get things back to normal.

Kittitas County Corrections Center has been overcrowded and understaffed for over a year now. The jail can hold 85 but recently has had up to 110 people locked up.

"I think that's a constant challenge pairing up the right amount of staffing, staffing and man power," says Aaron Langevin, Kittitas County Corrections Officer.

It's a constant challenge and a safety concern for correction officers. But things are beginning to turn around and the inmate population is going back to what they can handle.

To save space Kittitas County Corrections Center is sending their inmates to Chelan, Sunnyside and Okanogan. Keeping these inmates locked up comes at a price.

"It costs money to send people over there, money you have to get from somewhere," says Sgt. Shawn Stredwick, Kittitas County Corrections Officer.

It costs $40 to $77 dollars a day, per inmate to house them. They sent
5-10 inmates out every week this Summer.

The corrections center is looking into a cheaper option. Now that the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office has moved out of the jail building, it's space they want to use.

Corrections officers tell Action News they've got money set aside for jail improvements. But right now, converting the free space is just an idea. First they want to beef up the staff.

"We're still not at full capacity where we wanna be. We got a couple in the hiring process," says Sgt. Stredwick.

Kittitas County Corrections Center has added beds to cut back on crowding.
It worked temporarily but correction officers tell me now it's time to add space and more officers

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