Weekly Connections October 12th, 2026

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of Oct. 12.

Let's get started with project updates:

• Jackson County, Minn., has unveiled its new $41.2 million Law Enforcement and Government Center, consolidating county services, sheriff's operations, and a new 24-bed jail.
• The Texas Juvenile Justice Department broke ground on a new secure juvenile correctional facility in Ellis County, the second of two projects representing a $304 million statewide investment.
• The Utah Department of Corrections officially opened the ARCH Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative providing housing and treatment for individuals experiencing homelessness who have multiple low-level criminal convictions.
• West Virginia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials celebrated the grand opening of the refurbished Anthony Correctional Center and Jail in Greenbrier County following a $35 million modernization project.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Yellowstone County, Mont., voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve a $175 million bond and $20 million annual levy to expand the chronically overcrowded county jail.
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2257, giving county Boards of Supervisors greater oversight of jail operations, including confirming sheriff-nominated jail administrators.

Next, in people news:

• American Correctional Association Executive Director Rob Greene announced that he will step down from his position, and the association will search for his replacement.
• The ACA also announced that Jack R. "Randy" Sauls has been named the director of the association's Office of Correctional Health, effective Dec. 1.

Now for this week's construction reports:

• Missouri's Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction is seeking bids for construction of a new Community Supervision Center, with bids due Nov. 12.
• Hood County, Texas, is seeking bids from construction firms for the expansion of the existing county jail facility, with bids due Nov. 20.
• Fulton County, Ga., is seeking proposals for the design and construction of a new 25,000-square-foot behavioral health crisis center, with proposals due Dec. 4.

And finishing up with events:

• The NCCHC will host its 50th Annual National Conference on Correctional Health Care in Las Vegas from Oct. 24–28.
• The International Corrections and Prisons Association's Annual Conference and Expo will be held in Belfast, Northern Ireland from Oct. 25–30.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.