Josephine County Channels Money Into Justice System

A Southern Oregon county struggling with the end of federal timber subsidies has decided to restore some of the jail capacity it cut earlier this year when it turned loose nearly 40 inmates. The Grants Pass Daily Courier reports that Josephine County will staff the jail to accommodate 69 inmates, up from 30, hiring a deputy and two monitoring technicians.

In May, the county cut capacity from 120. County commissioners set aside most of their final $4.66 million county payment to cover next year's budget.

The paper said the commissioners decided Wednesday to spend about $400,000 of the money to bolster law enforcement for the current budget year. Besides jail capacity, the money will be used for prosecutors, one full time, the other part time.