Hunterdon County will now be transporting inmates north instead of south.
The Freeholders voted to move its jail consolidation from Somerset County to Warren County to save money.
Hunterdon hasn't housed its own prisoners since 2016. Sheriff Fred Brown said it didn't make financial sense to keep the jail open due to a dwindling inmate population and costly infrastructure repairs needed at the current facility.
“Our inmate population has been going down, especially down with bail reform…our inmate population today is at 45. We've been down to the low 30's,” Brown said.
Brown said both Somerset and Warren counties charge Hunterdon County $90 per inmate per day to house them in their respective facilities. Somerset County had a 50-inmate minimum and Brown said Hunterdon was often paying $1,000 extra per day because they didn't have enough prisoners to meet the headcount requirement. Brown said Warren County also has an quicker intake process and on-sight medical staff. Currently, if a Hunterdon County inmate needs medical attention, they must be brought to a local hospital.
Sheriff Brown said last year medical security cost Hunterdon County more than $200,000.
"That's where the cost can escalate very quickly and it's not something apparent to anyone looking at the contract but it's something that adds up so significantly,” said Freeholder John Lanza.
The sheriff’s office said it plans to begin housing inmates in Warren County by February.
