Estimated cost of Franklin County prison doubles

The estimated cost for a new prison that would be built in Franklin County is now more than double a previous estimate. The Arkansas Department of Corrections relayed a new maximum cost estimate of $825 million on March 3 from the California-based company hired as consultants on the project. Earlier estimates had been around $400 million. The state purchased land near Charleston for the new prison. The Department of Corrections has previously stated the state has a shortage of 3,000 prison beds and that shortage means the state has been paying county jails to house prisoners.