Budget Approved for New Women’s Jail in Idaho
By Charlie Lange
CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — The Canyon County, Idaho, Board of Commissioners (CCBC) announced that it will use a portion of the county’s 2026 budget to build a new women’s jail facility.
After four failed bond attempts over the last 18 years, including the last rejected $190 million bond, the county is now directing $7.5 million of the $52.4 million Canyon County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) annual budget towards the new facility. On Aug. 13, the CCBC approved its total budget of $162 million for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
The county, which has experienced considerable population growth and increased strains on infrastructure in recent years, will now move forward with the first phase of the project, including a 192-bed, warehouse-style metal building on land the county already owns. The commissioners are also looking to set aside another $2.5 million from the 2027 budget to complete the project, with an expected completion in late 2026 or early 2027.
In years prior, female inmates arrested in Canyon County were housed in the Dale Haile Detention Center, which opened in 1993 but quickly became overcrowded. In response, the CCBC contracted with mobile detainment services company All Detainment Solutions (ADS) in 2019 to lease temporary jail units for the female inmates.
Those units, which came to be known as Pod 6, ultimately faced myriad maintenance and liability concerns, such as faulty shower pans, mold, water, HVAC and sewage issues. The design and layout of the units also presented numerous safety issues for both inmates and staff, including the introduction of contraband, all of which combined to increase costs for county taxpayers.
In February, the CCBC, with support from the CCSO, voted to terminate the contract with ADS and seek solutions for a more permanent facility that could meet the community’s long-term needs and enhance the safety and efficiency of CCSO’s jail operations.
In the meantime, those female inmates previously housed in Pod 6 were moved into the Canyon County Detention Center in Caldwell, the county’s primary facility.
In March, the county held a public open house to discuss its plans for Phase I of the project, which involves constructing the new facility on a 26-acre property the county has held since 2007. The new facility will utilize an open-cell design and other elements intended to expedite construction and maintain costs. The county is now reviewing contractors for the initial phase of the project.
As part of the budget approval, the CCBC also authorized directing the remaining $8 million of American Rescue Plan funds towards completion of the county’s new Sheriff’s Administration building. The $27.61 million endeavor to build a new, state-of-the-art 82,866-square-foot facility broke ground in January.