BILLINGS — The Montana Department of Corrections is looking at four locations statewide for a new women's prison, citing overcrowding at the current Billings facility.
The Montana DOC reports that 52 female inmates across Montana are awaiting space at the Women's Prison, and 37 have been waiting for longer than 30 days.
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The DOC is looking at Butte, Billings, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, and Jefferson County as potential options for places where a new, second women's prison could be built.
"If they want to build something in Billings, we're waiting for them to come back to us," said Yellowstone County Commissioner Mark Morse Monday afternoon.
Morse said that early discussions have taken place about whether Billings might make sense for the location of a new facility, though nothing has been specific.
"We have had talks with them, but we haven't really talked money and we haven't talked anything that's operational," Morse said. "We're waiting for them."
Morse believes that the DOC is waiting for this legislative session to finish so the agency has a better sense as to how much money is available.
"I think then they're probably in a better position to start solidifying where they want the prison, what are they willing to spend and what does it look like," Morse said.
Morse said that's similar to where the county stands with the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, which has notably been over capacity for years, and is in the works for a proposed expansion.
"Our rated capacity is 434 inmates at the jail," Morse said. "We regularly run 600 plus inmates there."
Morse said that he's finished putting together a draft for the expansion, but that he is waiting to release it until he also knows what money will be available.
"We have a draft of the jail master plan, but I don't want to release it until we know from the Legislature what our taxable value will be," Morse said. "It's kind of like doing it backwards, then we have to back into the equation."
Morse said the proposal will have to appear on the ballot as a mill levy before any project can be started. Still, he's hopeful that the community understands the need.
“We see what we have to work with, and then we have to build and operate a facility to that number,” Morse said.
Progress is being made on the short-term holding center that is being added to the detention facility. Morse said he expects that to be up and running by October.
