Monroe County Commissioners declared a jail overcrowding emergency Thursday. They propose sending inmates to other counties until a new jail is built at an estimated cost of $3-5 million for the first year.
Since commissioners and County Council could not agree on where to build a new jail, Monroe County could face another lawsuit by the ACLU of Indiana for overcrowding and poor conditions. Sending prisoners to Brown, Greene and Morgan counties is a temporary solution.
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Commissioner Julie Thomas said it’s the council’s job to figure out funding.
“That money was supposed to be set aside for the Justice Center project, and I think that's why this is so painful,” she said.
The Sheriff’s Office, which issued a 19-page report on the issue, told commissioners an immediate solution is necessary for prisoner safety. Besides jail populations regularly exceeding the regular bed capacity, Chief Deputy Phil Parker described how the deteriorating facility put prisoners at risk of heat stroke during a recent heat wave.
“When those two things converge, which we are at right now, that's when the breaking point occurs,” Parker said.
While the Sheriff’s Department said there are 294 beds at the county jail, just 233 are available for general housing, and the recommended 80 percent capacity threshold sets functional levels at 186. The jail averaged 244 inmates over the last six months.
Commissioners will vote again to ratify a declaration on the issue at their next meeting, July 16.
The county did not provide a written copy of the declaration, but Thomas read it aloud at the commission work session:
- The Monroe County Board of Commissioners formally acknowledges that Monroe County is experiencing a significant jail overcrowding emergency, and that the current jail facility continues to deteriorate, creating operational safety and constitutional concerns requiring immediate attention.
- The board acknowledges that while the Monroe County Jail contains approximately 233 general housing beds, the sheriff's office has established the functional capacity of the facility at approximately 186 beds, based upon correctional operational requirements.
- The Monroe County Attorney or other designated legal counsel for the county is asked to immediately assist the Monroe County Sheriff's Office in preparing, negotiating, and finalizing interlocal agreements, housing agreements, and any other contracts necessary to house Monroe County inmates in surrounding county correctional facilities.
- Upon completing such agreements, and following any required approval by Monroe County Courts, the board commits to considering and acting upon those agreements without unnecessary delay. So, in other words, bring those back to us for consideration.
- The Monroe County Board of Commissioners encourages the County Council to identify the county funder funds available to finance this emergency operational plan, including inmate housing, transportation, medical, and associated operational costs, and to identify the current available balances of such funds as part of the county's implementation strategy.
- The board affirms that these emergency operational measures are intended solely to maintain constitutional jail operations, protect the health and safety of inmates and staff, reduce legal liability to Monroe County, and preserve public safety until a permanent replacement correctional facility is constructed and placed into service.
- Monroe County Board of Commissioners commits to working collaboratively with Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Monroe County Courts, and other affected government agencies to implement these emergency measures as expeditiously as practical.
- Nothing contained in this resolution shall be construed as limiting or replacing Monroe County's ongoing responsibility to pursue, finance, and construct a long-term replacement correctional facility capable of meeting the present and future correctional needs of Monroe County.
