Dutchess County Legislature Approves Funding for New Jail

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Dutchess County Legislature approved funding for a new $192 million dollar jail.

A 19-6 bipartisan vote approved funding for the design and construction of the Dutchess County Justice & Transition Center (DCJTC).The DCJTC will be a modern facility that provides greater space to expand the County’s jail to better transition inmates back into society.

“The Dutchess County Justice & Transition Center allows us to end the inhumane and costly practice of housing out inmates, provide enhanced alternatives to incarceration, increase public safety, and deliver savings to taxpayers as a result of a more efficient and safer facility,” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said in a statement. “After dozens of town hall forums we've gathered feedback and answered questions about this project. Together, with your suggestions, I’m confident we will create the most comprehensive system of justice of any county in America, making us a model for the rest of the nation: saving tax dollars and lives."

Officials believe in the first year of operation, 2021, the new DCJTC will save taxpayers more than $5 million annually.

The new building will is expected to be 297,000 square feet housing up to 569 beds. The project proposal includes several options to scale down the size of the facility if the County continues to have success in lowering the inmate population.

The DCJTC will be built at the site of the current Dutchess County Jail facility on North Hamilton Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. Most of the current facility will be demolished. However a section built in 1995 will be renovated and incorporated into the new building design.

The current Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office building will also be replaced. A 56,000-square-foot Law Enforcement Center will be built on the DCJTC site.

Officials say the total cost for the DCJTC, the Law Enforcement Center, and project definition for a new Youth Center is $192,150,000. Costs includes design, site work, demolition, furniture, fixtures, equipment and bullet resistance for the Law Enforcement Center.