By Kentucky New Era
Hopkinsville, KY – Kentucky Jailers Association members want the state to cancel contracts with a pair of private prisons and transfer some of the inmates to county jails. The Kentucky New Era reports the move could help jails across Kentucky reduce budget deficits since the state Department of Corrections pays local jails to house state inmates. Christian County Jailer Brad Boyd says the jail's operating costs exceeded its revenue by over one million dollars during the last fiscal year. He says an extra one hundred five state inmates would close this gap. Department of Corrections spokesman Todd Henson says such a move wouldn't go smoothly because of the laws governing which inmates may be housed at jails and which must remain in prisons. Kentucky's contracts with Nashville based Corrections Corporation of America ends June 30, 2012.