475 State Inmates Strain Montana County Jails Amid Prison Crunch

DEER LODGE, Mont. (Day.News) — Montana's prison overcrowding crisis persists, with 475 individuals in state custody occupying county jail beds as of early May 2026, according to the latest Department of Corrections data initially reported by the Billings Gazette. Of those, 178 are classified as state-ready inmates awaiting transfer to Montana State Prison due to a lack of available beds. The strain highlights ongoing capacity issues at the Deer Lodge facility, where a massive $300 million expansion adding 1,000 beds broke ground last year and targets completion in January 2029.

County jails across Montana, including heavy users like Yellowstone County Detention Facility in Billings, are footing the bill for housing these inmates at rates up to $120 per day per person. DOC Communications Director Carolynn Stocker confirmed the figures, noting that selections for out-of-state transfers or county holds prioritize custody level, parole eligibility, treatment needs and separations. All 240 Montana inmates previously held out-of-state have been consolidated at CoreCivic's Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Mississippi under a two-year, $19 million annual contract announced in January 2025, easing some pressure but not resolving local jail overflows.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has championed the prison buildout, stating in an April 2025 release, 'The reality is, we need more beds.' Five new housing units at Montana State Prison are slated for fall 2028 occupancy, promising 1,117 additional beds total. Inmate advocates criticize the reliance on private facilities like Tallahatchie — with 2,672 beds, larger than many towns — arguing it hinders rehabilitation access. Counties in central and eastern Montana, lacking alternatives like the proposed Yellowstone forensic psychiatric unit, face prolonged holds that exacerbate jail crowding.