The American Civil Liberties Union of Montana says the state's county jail system is unsafe and badly in need of reform.
The organization issued a report today detailing an overview of what it says are the poor conditions of Montana's local jails.
ACLU Executive Director, Scott Crichton, says too many of Montana's detention centers are old and physically deteriorating.
"Absence of any fresh air or sunlight, plumbing problems, mold problems - those kinds of things; but I think the bigger thing is overcrowding. Almost every county has got a problem with way too many people being housed for too long a period of time."
ACLU of Montana staff interviewed jail administrators and prisoners. They also toured 22 of the state’s 36 detention centers to produce their report.
Read the ACLU report "Locked in the Past: Montana’s Jails in Crisis" here.