Detention Center History
The Allen County Jail, located in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, has a history of overcrowding that spans several decades. In response to a federal judge’s order to improve conditions and address overcrowding, the county has announced plans to build a new jail. This article will explore the history of Allen County Jail, the factors that contributed to its overcrowding, and the efforts to find alternatives to incarceration.
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The Early Days of Allen County Jail
In the early 1980s, Allen County faced a problem that would become all too familiar in the decades to come – too many inmates and not enough beds. In 1981, the county opened a new jail to address overcrowding, but it quickly became too small. Between 1983 and 1993, jail populations in Indiana more than doubled, and Allen County was no exception. By 1987, the average number of prisoners exceeded the jail’s capacity by almost 70 people.
The North and South Towers
To address the problem, the county opened a new wing, the north tower, in 1994, and by the day it opened, all its beds were filled. In 1997, the county topped the south tower, adding 76 more beds, but the average daily population continued to climb. The Bud Meeks Justice Center opened in 2001, increasing the jail’s capacity to 741 beds. Despite the additional space, the jail has been at or over capacity for most of the 21st century.
Factors Contributing to Overcrowding
Several factors contributed to the overcrowding problem in Allen County. One significant factor was a 25% increase in the county’s population between 1980 and 1990. Changes in which inmates could be housed in the state’s correctional facilities, and high bail amounts for those awaiting trial also stressed the system. In 2014, the Indiana Department of Correction stopped allowing counties to send Level 6 felons to state-run prisons, which significantly increased the jail population.
Overcrowding Leads to Lawsuits
Overcrowding led to lawsuits against Allen County Jail. In 1998, inmate Shawn Rigsby filed a class-action lawsuit alleging unconstitutional conditions, including overcrowding. The lawsuit resulted in an order for 200 additional beds, setting capacity at 680 inmates, and requiring more use of work release to reduce the numbers. In 2020, inmate Vincent Morris filed a similar lawsuit, which prompted a federal judge to order county officials to remedy the situation, leading to plans to build a new jail.
Alternatives to Incarceration
To address overcrowding, Allen County officials have been diverting more people from the jail through programs offering alternatives to incarceration. These programs include a work-release program, a Community Corrections program, and problem-solving courts for drug offenders and veterans. The county has also increased home detention, which includes electronic monitoring, to keep track of those serving sentences outside of jail.
The Need for Mental Health Help
The jail’s biggest problem now is the number of jail inmates with mental illness, according to Michelle Fennessy Kraus, a former Fort Wayne defense attorney. She said diagnosing and caring for mentally ill and addicted inmates at the jail should be more of a priority. The Prison Policy Initiative reports that people incarcerated in jails are five times more likely than the general population to have a serious mental illness, with just over two-thirds of the U.S. jail population meeting medical standards for having a diagnosable substance abuse problem.