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Albany County Sheriff wants to house homeless in county jail

Sep 10, 2019 12:21 am
Steve Hughes reports in the Albany Times Union that Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple is starting what he calls the Sheriff's Homeless Improvement Project, turning an empty tier in one of his jail's building into transitional housing for the homeless. "Whatever we can do to release somebody who can be healthy and productive back in the community, that's our goal here," he said. "Our recidivism rate is dropping, folks aren't coming back." Apple's jail could hold 1,000 inmates but had just 431 in July. Statewide, jail populations in county jails fell over 13 percent from July 2018 to July 2019. And that is before bail reforms take effect in January. Apple, so far, has an idea, but no funding for his plan house and feed homeless citizens at the jail. Read more about this story in the Albany Times Union.