BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Prison workers in North Dakota say there's no more room. This week, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says they're now starting an inmate admission prioritization plan. The plan means that men and women convicted of more violent crimes, including AA, A, and B felony offenses will be prioritized to be locked up. North Dakota's prisons can handle around 1,624 hundred men and 262 women, and supervisors say they've been over that mark since July of 2023. ND Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation moves to prioritize inmates The prison system has already partnered with several county jails to contract out additional jail beds in places like Dickinson and Watford City, but NDDOCR deputy director of adult services Rachelle Juntunen says even those are filling up. "We've seen longer sentences recently," Juntunen says, "and the amount of time that people are spending on parole has actually decreased a little bit. But overall, I think it's just that we have more people coming into the system. So, nationally, prison rates are actually decreasing, and North Dakota is increasing. I think we're just seeing more people that are getting sentenced into the facilities." Juntunen says this doesn't mean offenders will be up for early release, but that many offenders for other felony counts will likely serve more time in a county jail before being taken to a state-run prison. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW