Empty Jail May Begin Taking In Federal, Out-Of-State Prisoners To Avoid Risk Of Foreclosure

In Hardin, Montana, The Associated Press reports:

• A state judge has ruled that a $27 million jail in Hardin can accept federal or out-of-state prisoners - offering potential relief for a project beset by difficulties since its completion last July. The publicly financed but privately operated jail has sat empty because it has no contracts for inmates to fill its 464 beds. With no money coming in, the city has been forced to dip into a contingency fund to cover payments on its construction bonds. Those bonds went into default last month, and the jail risks foreclosure if it remains empty.

For more, see Judge: Montana jail can take out-of-state inmates.