In an effort to alleviate overcrowding concerns at the county detention center, the Board of Carroll County Commissioners unanimously approved the transfer of contingency funds to house inmates at neighboring county facilities.

As reported in The Carroll County Times:

The funding provides housing for an average of eight inmates for up to 180 days or through the end of the second quarter of the fiscal year, according to meeting documents.

The funds would only be used for off-site secure housing if the number of inmates exceeds the design capacity and/or on a case-by-case basis if inmates require special housing, according to the documents. If additional housing is not needed the funds would not be used.

The capacity for the Carroll County Detention is 185 inmates, however the current population is close to 200 inmates. The article explains that the funding would help house inmates primarily at the Allegany County Detention Center and possibly at Harford or Howard County detention centers. The inmates may be sent to these facilities due to overcrowding, or if it is necessary to separate an inmate from others at the Carroll facility.

Warden George Hardinger states in the article that the county is continuing to explore their issue of overcrowding and looking into long-term solutions such as day reporting.

Read The Carroll County Times to learn more.