TELL CITY, IN (WFIE) -
Officials gathered Wednesday morning to break ground for a new county jail.
The new jail will be built in the empty land behind the Perry County Courthouse. A facility county officials say they desperately need.
"The building is failing, that's all there is to it. Absolutely in need of replacement. It is the oldest continuous operating jail in the state that has not been renovated or upgraded," said Paul Downing, a criminal justice specialist.
Downing's words emphasized the importance of Wednesday morning's groundbreaking.
Sheriff Lee Chestnut says the county continues to deal with poor plumbing, poor ventilation, and overcrowding at its current jail.
Chestnut said, "Right now, we currently are at 43 bed space facility. This will move us up to 132. I know that seems like a lot. We'll try to use the space to advantage, but it's for the future. You know? We want this to last longer than the last jail."
"When you look at the existing jail, built in 1965, it predates jail standards in the State of Indiana. It predates a lot of the building code as well," Downing said.
The current jail is so outdated that inmates filed a class action lawsuit against the county. That that lawsuit was dismissed five years ago on the county's promise to build a new jail. Downing is proud of the county, for keeping its word.
Downing said, "I will tell you the county, overall in the public, have been excellent to work with. It's been one of the best communities I've ever worked with."
As for the sheriff's office, the county's limited jail space has left them with pages of unserved warrants. Something they say they'll quickly address, when the new jail opens.
Chestnut said, "We have a lot of issues going on right now. So, overcrowding, of course, is always an issue. So, we're moving forward."
County officials say construction on the new prison should be complete in 18 months.
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