FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — The new $360 million Franklin County jail in west Columbus is considered state of the art in the world of corrections, but it will likely not house any inmates until December.
Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are partly to blame for the delay. The jail was originally scheduled to house inmates in May.
Prior to building the new jail, deputies traveled across the country looking for how other states house their inmates. Deputies took what they thought were the best practices and incorporated that into the design.
Unlike the downtown jail, there is a dedicated mental health ward that can house 34 inmates. Baldwin said 40% of jails across the country have inmates who suffer from mental health issues.
The jail itself is bright with white walls and murals, all in an effort to ease tensions, according to the sheriff.
Baldwin said the inmates at the downtown jail are starting to leave and are being housed at the Jackson Pike jail, which will also close when the new facility is ready.
As the new jail gets closer to completion, more levels of the downtown facility will close.
The county said the downtown jail will likely be torn down when it closes for good. There is talk about possibly building a daycare for county employees and a daycare for those who have to go to court. There have also been discussions about using the space to build more parking.
But the bigger question is how much will taxpayers save by having one jail instead of two?
Baldwin said the county will save money because it won't be duplicating services such as running multiple kitchens and saving money on laundry. There could also be money saved by having inmates appear for court virtually instead of having to be transported from the jail to the courtroom.
The jail is paid for through an increase in sales tax that voters approved in 2013.
Starting next year, the cost to cities to house inmates at the jail will increase from $96 to $100.