How will Alabama finance the construction of a 4,000-bed jail in Escambia County?

On November 14, 2024By Pranco

The state board that approves loans and spending for prison construction projects will meet Wednesday morning to consider the next steps in plans for a new men’s prison in Escambia County.

The Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority, which includes the governor and other state officials, will consider resolutions on property transfers and design and construction contracts for the prison, which is expected to have 4,000 beds.

The Escambia County jail will be the second to be built under a plan approved by the Legislature in 2021.

The Elmore County Specialized Men’s Jail is under construction and expected to be completed in 2026.

The construction and equipment of this 4,000-bed prison, which includes medical, mental health and educational facilities, will cost approximately $1.25 billion.

The finance authority will consider a resolution to name the Specialized Men’s Facility at Wednesday’s meeting.

In October 2021, the Legislature approved a $1.3 billion plan to build two prisons with 4,000 beds, one in Elmore County and one in Escambia County.

Elmore prison costs rose sharply after an initial estimate of $623 million. Lawmakers will need to find additional funding to move forward with Escambia County’s second jail.

Gov. Kay Ivey and legislative leaders have said the new prisons are an essential part of the solution to the problems the Justice Department identified in a lawsuit over unsafe conditions in Alabama’s men’s prisons filed in December 2020.

This story will be updated.