It’s time for Scotland and Richmond counties to build a regional jail

Across North Carolina and South Carolina, counties facing the same challenges—aging detention facilities, overcrowding, rising construction costs, and chronic staffing shortages—have found a smarter way forward. They built regional jails. It’s a model that has already proven its value, and it’s both counties should seriously consider.

A regional jail is not a new or untested idea. In fact, North Carolina already has successful examples. The Albemarle District Jail, serving Pasquotank, Camden, and Currituck counties, has operated for years under a shared governance structure. By pooling resources, these counties avoided building three separate facilities and instead invested in one modern, efficient operation. The result has been lower per-inmate costs, shared staffing, and a facility that meets today’s safety and compliance standards.

Another North Carolina example is the Bertie–Martin Regional Jail, jointly operated by Bertie and Martin counties. This partnership has reduced duplication of services, stabilized operating budgets, and allowed both counties to maintain a level of detention capacity they could not have afforded alone. Two counties, one facility, shared responsibility—simple and effective.

South Carolina offers even more evidence. The Chesterfield–Marlboro Regional Detention Center demonstrates how two rural counties can successfully share capital and operating costs. Instead of each county spending tens of millions on separate facilities, they built one. They share medical services, transportation, administration, and training. The savings are real, ongoing, and measurable.

Rural counties are even more challenged to fund these types of projects and state funding is a must as 100 counties compete for fewer dollars. The state is more likely to fund collaborative projects that make sense financially. I’ve spoken with county and state leaders who applaud the idea of cooperation like this to deliver critical services.

A regional jail partnership offers several clear advantages:

• Shared construction costs: Instead of two counties each spending $25–40 million on separate facilities, a single modern jail could be built for far less than the combined total.

• Lower operating expenses: Medical care, food service, transportation, and administration can be consolidated, reducing annual budgets for both counties.

• Improved staffing: A larger, combined facility can offer better recruitment, training, and retention than two smaller jails struggling to fill shifts.

• Better compliance and safety: A modern regional facility can meet state and federal standards more easily than aging, undersized county jails.

• A satellite court space allows inmates to have hearings without being transported to a local courthouse.

Most importantly, a regional jail is not just a cost-saving measure—it’s a long-term investment in public safety and fiscal responsibility. A regional jail would not erase local control. It would not diminish the authority of either sheriff. What it would do is allow both counties to meet their legal obligations in a way that is smarter, safer, and more financially sustainable.

Counties across the region have already shown that this model works.

The question before us is simple: Do we want to spend twice as much to build and operate two separate jails, or do we want to work together and build one facility that serves both communities better?

Will it be easy, no. Location, infrastructure, governance and funding will need to be worked out but taxpayers elected city and county leaders to solve tough problems in a fiscally responsible way. The examples are clear. The savings are real. It’s time for Scotland and Richmond Counties to take a serious, collaborative look at the benefits and act.

Editor’s Note: The views expressed by this columnist do not necessarily reflect the views of The Laurinburg Exchange.