By AARON ROVENSTINE
Kosciusko County Sheriff

This month’s question for “Ask Sheriff Rovenstine” is about the county jail. “How many inmates does the county jail hold and how many inmates are incarcerated?”

That’s a very good question and one I’m asked frequently, but before the answer to that question, let me give you a little background on the history of our county jail, here in Kosciusko County.

The first building believed to be used as a jail in the 1830s was a log cabin that stood where the county courthouse is today. In 1871, a new jail was built on the corner of Indiana and Main streets in downtown Warsaw.

That structure was used for over 100 years as the county jail and still stands today. It is currently used as a home for the Kosciusko County Historical Society and museum.

By 1979, the old jail had out lived its usefulness and county officials approved plans for a new Justice Building, which would include a new jail along with courtrooms and other offices related to the criminal justice system. On May 3, 1982, 13 inmates were walked the two city blocks down Main Street under heavy guard to the new and modern jail that had a capacity to hold 66 inmates.

Over the next 17 years, the jail added more beds raising the capacity to 88, and overcrowding in the new facility was becoming a big problem. By January of 1999, it was not unusual for the jail to have 160 inmates housed in this 88-bed facility. So once again an expansion was planned.

In 2003, our current jail was opened and rated by the Indiana State Jail Inspector for a capacity of 302 inmates and that is the answer to part one of this month’s question.

The second part I’ll answer by an average because the population fluctuates from day to day and even hour to hour. Our average, daily population is around 216 at this time. At one point earlier this calendar year we reached an all-time high of 290 inmates on site. So from the 13 inmates walked over in 1982 to the high of 290 earlier this year, we can see how times have changed.

I’ll close this month’s article with a little tidbit for the younger generation. The old jail had living quarters for the sheriff and his family. For the majority of that time, from 1871 until 1982, whoever the sheriff was at that time lived at the jail during his term in office. Sheriff David Andrews, whose term ended in 1974, was the last sheriff who resided in our county jail.

Remember you can ask the sheriff by emailing your question to [email protected].