Arkansas buys 815 acres for new prison to reduce inmate backlog

Arkansas has purchased 815 acres of land in Charleston for $2.95 million to build a new prison. This move aims to address the backlog of about 2,500 state inmates currently held in county jails. The new facility is expected to create nearly 800 jobs with an average salary of over $46,600. The state has allocated $330 million for the project, with an additional $75 million available from a previous prison expansion plan. The prison project follows a year of disputes over control of the state prison system. A judge's ruling last year limited the Board of Corrections' authority, and the state is appealing that decision.