The State of Montana incarcerates some state prisoners in county jails. The state will increase the amount it pays per prisoner in the Cascade County regional jail by $3.82 for a total of $52.82 per prisoner per day.

The sheriff in Cascade County says that increase isn’t enough to cover the county’s costs. To do that, the state would need to increase the amount by $15 per prisoner per day. County officials say the contract with the state limits the county’s ability to negotiate for an increase and the $3.82 increase will take effect even if the sheriff’s office doesn’t agree to it.

This news brief is based on a story from the Billings Gazette, Sheriff unhappy with state payment. [1] If the link is broken, check the newspaper’s archives.