Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. — Lane County is opening up 41 beds at a Eugene jail in an attempt to reduce early releases due to overcrowding.
The Register-Guard reports capacity-based releases fell dramatically in the first year of a tax levy that provides funds to keep beds available, but more than doubled from last June to this summer.
Attrition as well as slow hiring and training for jail deputies meant the county didn’t have enough staff to keep 84 beds in Eugene open. The county announced Monday that about half of those beds would be made available.
Lane County Sheriff Byron Trapp says the county probably won’t be able to hire enough people to open all 84 beds by June. By July, unspent levy dollars will total $15 million.