BAKERSFIELD, CA (KUZZ) — Talks are ongoing between the city of Bakersfield and prison officials in Taft over using the prison’s jail space to house inmates convicted of crimes in Bakersfield.

According to the Taft Midway Driller, the Taft city manager says discussions about using the Community Correctional Facility to house inmates are still in the early stages, and questions remain about the legality of a deal between Taft and Bakersfield.

Bakersfield city officials formed a task force to consider ways to keep offenders convicted of low-level crimes in jail for longer periods of time instead of serving just a fraction of their sentences, or in some cases, no time at all.

The Taft prison currently houses inmates for the United States Marshal and Bureau of Prisons and has room for up to 400 more inmates.