Possible prison pact concerns officials

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County officials are concerned about the prospect of a direct federal contract with the private prison on Hubbard Road to house revenue-generating federal inmates.

County officials fear such a contract may cause a costly reduction after Jan. 1 in the number of federal inmates in the Mahoning County jail.

“We’re not going to be able to keep that jail open at the capacity that it is right now,” without about 150 revenue-generating prisoners, either from the federal government or the city, said county Commissioner David N. Ludt.

Officials of the county commissioners’, prosecutor’s and sheriff’s offices went to Cleveland last week, where they conferred in chambers with a panel of three federal judges on this issue.

Read the full story in Monday’s Vindicator and on vindy.com.