BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota sheriffs are concerned that a slate of new criminal justice reforms will shift costs from the state to counties and put added pressure on local jails.
Lawmakers approved legislation this year to reduce the number of people going to prison. The new laws ask that the state and local correctional facilities prioritize who goes to prison.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has the authority to hold inmates in county jails if there's lack of space in a prison.
The North Dakota Association of Counties reports that nine counties are expected to increase jail capacity from 1,765 beds to 2,633 beds this year. An association spokeswoman says the organization plans to track county jails' numbers and the costs of holding people.
