Mississippi county votes to close jail citing financial woes, fate of inmates uncertain

Published 6:20 am Tuesday, December 3, 2019

A Mississippi county is closing its jail in two weeks because of financial problems.

News outlets report the Issaquena County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to close the regional correctional facility.

Board of Supervisors President Eddie Holcomb says the jail is a financial drain on the county. The facility, which holds about 300 inmates, will close Dec. 17.

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Issaquena County Sheriff Richard Jones says the board decided to close the jail against his wishes.

He says he doesn’t know what the county will do with the inmates after the facility is shuttered.

Holcomb says inmates will have to be transferred to other facilities. But he acknowledged: “Exactly where, we haven’t gotten that far.”

Jones says the facility employs 53 people. They’ll be paid for 30 days after the jail’s closing.