Miami County Sheriff Charles Cox, Duchak and Judge Gary Nasal began discussions with the county commission in February about the increasing number of female inmates. They blamed the increase primarily on use of heroin and theft to support drug use.
The county has limited space for female inmates, all of whom are held in the downtown Troy jail. Male felons are held in the downtown jail while males with misdemeanor charges are housed at a minimum security facility north of Troy on County Road 25A.
The downtown jail is limited by the state jail standards to 48 inmates a day. There were 63 inmates at the downtown jail Thursday, including 20 females.
The other county facility has two of its four 60-inmate pods open and now is used for males. It could be used for a female pod with added staff and a few changes mostly to ensure separation of male and female inmates.
Commissioner Richard Cultice said Thursday the commission recently gave the sheriff the go ahead to work out an agreement with Shelby County Sheriff John Lenhart.
“The plan now is this through the end of the year with the option, agreed on by all parties, we could extend it,” Cultice said. “We will review all of this when we look at next year’s appropriations.”
Duchak said the females taken Thursday are serving sentences already imposed. He said the housing contract will be used as needed.
“The commissioners and sheriff are working closely on this,” Duchak said. “We are working through a very difficult and long process and are very appreciative of the commissioners giving us some pressure relief and Sheriff Lenhart for helping us out.”
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