Lake County has settled a class-action lawsuit over conditions inside its jail. The Lake County Jail will construct new housing units and an outdoor recreation area.
The class action settlement between inmates at the jail and Lake County was approved by a federal court in Missoula this week. In the settlement, Lake County denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to the terms.
Constance Van Kley, one of the attorneys representing inmates, said lack of expansion left the 90-year-old jail overcrowded and unsanitary.
“When the jail was initially built, there weren’t nearly the same number of inmates that there are today,” Kley said.
With more inmates than cells, the indoor recreation room was converted to housing. Inmates were stuck in their cells for 24 hours a day.
Van Kley said the new housing and recreation space will improve conditions.
“This means that inmates will have a daily opportunity to exercise, as well as to go outdoors and see the sun and, you know, breathe fresh air,” Kley said.
Lake County also agreed to pay attorney’s fees and provide traditional religious counseling for Native American inmates. Van Kley said roughly half of the jail roster are Indigenous.
The Lake County Attorney did not immediately return MTPR’s request for comment.
