State Tells McDowell County to Address Jail Issues

The Division of Corrections has told the McDowell County Commission to address deficiencies at the Stevens Correctional Center or risk losing its contract to house state inmates at the facility.

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports that Corrections Commissioner Jim Rubenstein sent a letter to the commission regarding the deficiencies earlier this month. The issues include staff members not following Division of Corrections directives.

Rubenstein’s letter says the county owes the division liquidated damages under the contract.

The letter also says the division would cancel the contract if the problems aren’t resolved. But the agency is willing to waive damages and assist in transferring the facility’s ownership and operations to the state.

Commission President Gordon Lambert didn’t immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press on Monday.