Possible Courtrooms Being Added to New Jail

Thomas also talked about the possibility of adding a courtroom onto the new jail as well.

File Photo

(Madison, Ind.) - As the progress for the new jail is coming along and plans are in the beginning stages of being finalized, Sheriff Dave Thomas updated the Jefferson County Council on the jail's status at the meeting on February 11.

Sheriff Thomas reported to the council that he has been talking to the architects to discuss the floor plan on the jail, and the number of rooms needed on both the sheriff’s and jail's side.

Thomas also talked about the possibility of adding a courtroom onto the new jail as well.

This he says was will allow for inmates to “step outside as little as possible and will help with transportation.”

Thomas is hoping that in terms of transportation the courtroom addition will reduce the number of times in which they take inmates to the courthouse, and their hearing ends up being canceled. 

There was also talk about the courtrooms being able to hold jury trials as well with there being 13 jurors, and room for 70 to 75 people to be in attendance for the trial.

The architects are putting two renditions of blueprints together one with the courtroom and one without.

As for how the public will be able to get in and out of the courtrooms, there will be a sperate parking lot and entrance so they will not have to walk through the jail.