ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Marquette County Jail has made a new partner in its efforts to reduce overcrowding.
The Marquette County Jail has had more inmates than it can hold for some time. The County leases space from other Upper Peninsula counties that are able to take in the overflow.
“We have an antiquated facility that holds 80 people,” Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt told WZMQ 19 on December 4. “Currently, within this last week, we’ve had up to 90 people… Our officers have to be on the ball 24 hours a day, watching. A lot of people try to take their own lives or are causing issues.”
Since early 2025, Marquette County has been sending overflow inmates to Alger County and Iron County. Now, Delta County is on track to join them. On Tuesday, the Delta County Board made a motion to accept an agreement for housing Marquette County prisoners in the Delta County Jail.
The agreement states that the Delta County Sheriff’s Office will take up to ten inmates from Marquette County. It also gives Delta County the right to decline to take in any inmates that it is unable to “appropriately or safely house.” The Marquette County Sheriff’s Office has agreed to pay $55 per day for each inmate housed in the Delta County Jail, as well as the cost of all medical and transportation expenses.
The Delta County Board voted unanimously in favor of the motion.
