POUGHKEEPSIE – It has been one year since the temporary Dutchess County Jail inmate housing units were installed and operational and as anticipated, they have saved the county $1 million in annual costs of housing inmates out in other county facilities.
County Executive Marcus Molinaro noted there are additional benefits to housing the inmates locally.
“With that we have seen the greater ability to ensure that inmates have access to family, alternative and transition programs and their legal counsel,” Molinaro said.
The so-called ‘pods’ are just a temporary fix as the county
must develop a permanent solution to the overcrowded jail and that will
come in the form of a new facility, built at the same City of Poughkeepsie
site, in the next few years.