The Lubbock County Detention Center currently has inmates staying in other county jails. The Lubbock County Detention Center has an agreement in place with nine jails, as of now, to house Lubbock inmates in those other jails.
The reason the Lubbock County Detention Center is having to put inmates in other jails is not because we don't have the room but its to keep room open. KAMC news reports that State regulators ask jails to not exceed 90 percent of their capacity so no overcrowding can occur. Overcrowding in jail has been a big issue over the past few years especially when the COVID-19 pandemic began as many Texas inmates had to forced into overcrowding situations.
The County commissioner did approve a memorandum of understanding on March, 13 to be able to place inmates from the Lubbock County Detention Center in Montague County. There is currently no information on how many inmates are going to Montague County but this is just one of many placements, as Lubbock County has been trying to work with the Giles Dalby Correctional Center.
The other jails that are holding inmates from Lubbock County Detention Center are not doing it for free as it costs Lubbock County between $50-$75 a day per inmate to be placed somewhere else. This number does add up yearly and was reported at $281,000 which is the price without the cost of transportation included to transfer those inmates to the other holding facilities.
The price to house inmates across Texas will rise every year as the projected daily average of 60,000 to 65,000 is exceeded and normally reaches 72,000. Montague County, which just set up a memorandum with Lubbock County, is being paid $60 a day to house the inmates from Lubbock County to prevent any overcrowding as stated by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. In the end its a good thing for everyone involved to house inmates in less crowded facilities, even if it is another county.