State could use Estancia jail

It’s perplexing that while the New Mexico Sentencing Commission is reporting the number of female inmates is expected to surpass capacity within a year, and space will run out for male inmates in about two years, officials in Torrance County are scrambling to find a use for the 900bed Torrance County Detention Facility that closes today.

CoreCivic — formerly Corrections Corp. of America — owns the circa-1990 detention center. Jail officials told employees in July it was closing because it isn’t receiving enough inmates to keep it open. CoreCivic officials say the facility typically holds fewer than 700 inmates for law enforcement agencies and has lost money for years.

That’s devastating news for Torrance County and Estancia — 203 jobs, 60 percent of gross receipts taxes, more than $170,000 in annual utility payments and 60 school students.

Town officials have asked the state to buy the jail and have the Department of Corrections run it as a prison — given inmate projections, officials should explore a chance to avoid prison overcrowding and local economic damage.