Allen County jail population drops as state DOC takes in more inmates | WBOI

Overcrowding at Allen County's jails remains a problem as county officials await a decision on whether the new $300 million facility can be built.

The new jail is a court-accepted solution to a federal court order addressing overcrowding and other unconstitutional problems at the aging downtown facility. That project is the subject of litigation in tax court challenging the funding structure established by the Allen County government.

The prison population remains high, at over 682 inmates, about 100 more than the court order allows.

In the month since the last status report, that number has decreased slightly with assistance from the Indiana Department of Correction.

Following a plea from Allen County criminal justice advocates to Governor Eric Holcomb, the state recently admitted nearly three times as many convicted inmates to the DOC as usual.

According to court documents, lawyers for the ACLU, which is representing the plaintiff in the federal prison case, are skeptical that the state can continue to accommodate such a high number of inmates.

In July, the ACLU asked U.S. District Judge Damon R. Liechty (Leak-tee) for an inmate release order to reduce the prison population.

A status report on the project must be submitted by September 11.