Gov. calls for more prison funding
Elinor Smith | Montana Public Radio
The Governor is asking for money to expand the prison this legislative session.
As of January 20, 364 Montanans were serving their sentence in a private out-of-state facility. That number is up from around 200 inmates in August 2024, according to reporting from the Montana State News Bureau.
During his State of the State address last week, Gov. Greg Gianforte said Montana’s prison needed more space.
“ We can't find and prosecute criminals if we don't have a place to put them. In fact, too many criminals who ought to be at the state prison are filling up county jails.”`
Gianforte is backing part of an infrastructure package to allocate $150 million to construct roughly 500 more beds at the state prison in Deer Lodge. Lawmakers will continue to discuss the investment over the course of the 69th Legislative Session.
State Prison warden is on leave
Shaylee Ragar | Montana Public Radio
The Montana State Prison warden is on leave, according to the Montana Department of Corrections. The agency’s spokesperson Carolynn Stocker said she couldn’t provide additional information on Warden Jim Salmonsen’s absence from work, which began January 14.
Associate Warden Scott McNeil is acting supervisor of the prison in Deer Lodge.
Salmonsen has been warden since 2020.
The Department of Corrections is scheduled to appear before state lawmakers in the coming weeks to talk through operations and its budget. Gov. Greg Gianforte called for $150 million to expand the Montana State Prison by 500 beds this legislative session.