At the 2026 National Sheriffs’ Association Winter Conference in Washington, D.C., JailGeek CEO Joe Summerill and advisor Hugh Hurwitz, former Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, led a seminar on a topic of growing interest to local facilities: partnering with the Bureau of Prisons to house federal residential reentry prisoners.
The session brought together a focused group of sheriffs and jail administrators interested in exploring how underutilized bedspace can be transformed into sustainable, federally funded partnerships. For those who attended, the discussion provided practical insights into a complex but achievable opportunity.
Leading the Discussion
The seminar was led by three individuals with direct, high-level experience in federal detention policy.
Joe Summerill, JailGeek’s founder and CEO, is a former chief contract attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he negotiated intergovernmental detention agreements on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service. His experience on both sides of the negotiation table gives him unique insight into how federal per diem rates are determined and where local facilities can strengthen their positions.
Hugh Hurwitz was appointed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney General to serve as Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Prior to that, he served as the Bureau’s Assistant Director for Reentry Services, overseeing 200 residential reentry centers across the nation. His three decades inside the BOP provide an unparalleled understanding of what federal agencies look for in partner facilities and how reentry programming actually works on the ground.
Finally, Joe and Hugh were joined by Jon Gustin, the former Administrator of the BOP’s Residential Reentry Management Branch in the Central Office, where he was responsible for executing residential reentry management priorities nationwide and overseeing approximately 180 contract residential reentry centers and home confinement programs. His expertise spans the full spectrum of reentry operations, from contract administration to community-level program implementation. Together, their combined expertise spans both the operational and acquisition sides of federal detention policy, making them uniquely qualified to guide sheriffs through the complexities of federal reentry partnerships.
Seminar Highlights
The seminar focused on a specific and timely opportunity: using existing Intergovernmental Agreements with the U.S. Marshals Service to house federal residential reentry prisoners. Key topics included:
The Federal Need. Under 18 U.S.C. §§ 4002 and 3624(c), the Bureau of Prisons is authorized to place eligible inmates in residential reentry centers. Yet the BOP faces persistent capacity shortages. A recent GAO report found that insufficient RRC capacity was a primary reason individuals did not transfer on time, and the Bureau has been unable to site new facilities in communities across the country, including Washington, D.C., due to local opposition. This gap between federal need and available capacity creates an opening for local jails with secure, available bedspace.
The Operational Reality. Housing reentry prisoners is not passive detention. Sheriffs must verify employment through site visits and employer check-ins, administer drug testing, enforce curfew, coordinate with BOP case managers, and maintain detailed records. It is an active partnership that requires dedicated staffing and clear protocols.
The Financial Opportunity. For facilities with available beds, the math is straightforward. Fifty beds at a $75 per diem generates approximately $1.4 million in annual revenue. This is direct, recurring federal funding for beds that would otherwise sit empty.
The Critical Question. Throughout the discussion, one theme emerged as the deciding factor between marginal revenue and sustainable funding: Does your per diem rate accurately capture your true costs? Traditional accounting methods consistently miss specialized staffing, healthcare, and facility expenses, leaving money on the table.
Where JailGeek Fits In
This is where the conversation turned from problem to solution. JailGeek’s FairRate™ platform was built specifically to address the challenge every attendee shared: how to document true operational costs in a way that federal agencies will accept.
FairRate utilizes proprietary algorithms to analyze budget history, staffing levels, medical services, and every other allowable expense category with mathematical precision. It transforms complex operational data into clear, audit-ready documentation that aligns with federal cost principles and OMB Circulars.
For facilities exploring reentry partnerships, FairRate ensures that when you sit down to negotiate a rate, whether through a new USMS IGA or by expanding an existing one, you come prepared with evidence, not anecdotes. You can show exactly what it costs to provide the level of care and security federal inmates require, and you can defend that number with data.
And for facilities ready to take the next step, Core+™ provides even greater insight by replicating the methodology federal agencies use to calculate presumptive rates, giving you unprecedented visibility into how your costs will be evaluated.
Looking Ahead
The interest in federal reentry partnerships is real and growing. Facilities that position themselves with accurate cost data will be best equipped to seize this opportunity when it arises.
Our NSA seminar reinforced what we see every day working with sheriffs across the country: the facilities that secure fair, sustainable rates are the ones that come to the table prepared. They don’t guess. They don’t estimate. They document.
If you’re considering whether federal reentry partnerships make sense for your facility, we’d welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation. The methodology is established. The funding is available. The next step is ensuring your data tells your true story.