Missouri counties struggle to cover costs of housing prisoners before and after conviction as the state falls short of reimbursing them adequately. Lawmakers recently increased the reimbursement rate to $24.96 a day, but counties still incur significant financial burdens, with some having to cover over half a million dollars annually. In an effort to address this issue, state Rep. Donnie Brown sponsored a bill to raise the payment to $40 a day, which drew the attention of budget committees and resulted in a $5 million increase in funds allocated for county reimbursements.
Missouri is unique in reimbursing counties for housing prisoners before and after conviction, contrasting with most other states that only provide reimbursement after a conviction. A report from the Prison Policy Initiative highlights Missouri’s high rate of incarceration compared to the national average and emphasizes the need for reform in the state’s criminal justice system. However, efforts to eliminate pretrial reimbursement and increase post-conviction reimbursement rates have faced challenges.
Despite these obstacles, Brown remains committed to pursuing a higher reimbursement rate to alleviate the financial burden on Missouri counties. He plans to introduce his reimbursement bill again in the next legislative session, aiming to provide more support to local governments struggling with the costs of housing prisoners in county jails.
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