Question: How much does it cost to run the jail? What is the cost per inmate? (Councilman Elnoubi)
Response:
According to the Virginia State Compensation Board’s annual Jail Cost Report, the cost to operate the jail in FY 2024 (the most recent report publicly available) was $32.0 million. The City received $13.6 million in funding from other sources, including $7 million from the federal government, and 57.53%, or $18.4 million, was funded by local tax support. The daily cost per inmate, based on the total cost to operate the jail and the number of inmates housed, was $296.93. At 57.53% local funding, the local tax cost per inmate was $170.82 per day in FY 2024.
The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office calculated the cost per inmate based on the total number beds in the jail (empty or filled) and determined the cost of providing the capacity to be $257.50 per day as compared to the state calculation of $296.93.
For FY 2025 the cost per inmate per day, based on the average daily inmate population, was $332.05. The funding sources for FY 2025 were distributed as follows:
State: 19.9% ($6,315,800)
Federal: 21.4% ($6,792,815)
City of Alexandria: 57.9% ($18,373,874)
Other*: 0.8% ($240,484)
There is no distinction in the costs of services provided to local and federal inmates housed within the facility. However, the federal government pays the City a per diem rate of $133.84 for each federal inmate and reimburses the City for any off-site medical expenses incurred on behalf of federal inmates. Based on current projections, operating costs and per-inmate expenses for FY 2026 are expected to remain similar to those of FY 2025. In recent years, the overall budget has remained relatively stable.
Canteen accounts, Telephone Commission Funds, Work Release, inmate per diem revenue from other local jurisdictions (Falls Church), and other fees collected from inmates are required to be reported and included in the Jail Cost Report Annual Revenue and Expenditures Reports (Including Canteen & Other Auxiliary funds).