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State Inmates Filling Up Kentucky Prisons

Kaspars Grinvalds, 123rf Stock Photo

Kentucky Corrections officials continue to face a housing crunch when it comes to the state’s inmate population.

State Justice Secretary John Tilley said unfortunately an inmate housing prediction has become reality. “Well this time last year, maybe even before, we predicted May of this year 2019 would be a time when we are officially out of space.  And we are officially out of space,” said Tilley.

Tilley added the growth seems to have stabilized for now, but beds are filled at 12 state prisons and one private prison plus state inmates are in 76 county jails.  Early release is a possibility to help ease the overcrowding problem. “There could be an early release of an individual, but there would be an individualized re-entry plan, which would be complete with housing and transportation and treatment and employment,” noted Tilley.

Tilley says there are 24,000 inmates in Kentucky with 5800 women, ranking the Commonwealth second nationally in females per capita in prison.  The justice secretary says that’s troubling and that trend needs reversing.

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.
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