By Elain Bassier
Elko Daily
ELKO, Nev. — Inmates at Elko County Jail aren’t being served bread and water, but they are being charged for their food.
On the first of the month, the jail began charging inmates for booking, meals and medical services.
It cost $3.4 million to house the inmates in 2013, and the sheriff’s office hopes to cover a bit of the cost to taxpayers with this new program.
“Why should the taxpayers have to pay all of that?” Undersheriff Clair Morris asked. “ ... They’re paying the bill and it’s a big one.”
Inmates now incur a $5 booking fee, $6.87 per day for all meals and $10 for a routine medical call. The bill is owed when the person leaves the jail.
“(The charges) are very minimal compared to the country or the rest of the state,” said Support Services Manager Annette Kerr.
Morris said the charges are similar to fees across the state, with the exception of the meal fees. Elko County Jail is the only facility in Nevada that charges inmates for meals.
Full story: Jail begins charging inmates for meals