The state of the Monroe County Jail is continuing to gradually improve, according to Sheriff Ruben Marté.
That was the premise of an email he sent late Wednesday to other elected officials, including those serving on the committee discussing potential plans for a new facility.
Photos included in Marté’s email showed a stark contrast between the jail as it is today and how it was just under a month ago, when Marté’s office delivered a presentation demonstrating run-down and filthy conditions.
“With your continued support, my staff remains committed to transitioning this facility from what we all saw on January 23 to a clean, sanitary and safe place for staff and residents,” Marté wrote, referencing his presentation.
Marté’s email focused on three areas within the jail: J block, which houses 20 of the jail’s most vulnerable residents; an intake room; and a sally port that Marté said posed several safety hazards. Staff are also in the process of improving D block, he said.
As an example of how conditions are improving, Marté said inmates in J block were resting and quiet when his chief deputy, Phil Parker, visited the dormitory Tuesday.
“This is quite unusual for this segment of our population as they are usually in a state of heightened anxiety,” Marté said, adding the results were made possible by a new color scheme for the block designed by mental health professionals. “We are hoping this new environment will continue to help these residents find some measure of peace during their stay with us,” he said.
Marté also credited the Monroe County Council, which approved a new facility coordinator position — previously called a jail technician — and the appropriation of an additional $40,000 for cleaning and painting materials at its Tuesday meeting. Marté said the position will help his office continue to improve the jail.
A before-and-after comparison of how the intake area used to look to how it looks now.
One of the first images in Marté’s January presentation showed inmates in the intake area lying on dirty concrete floors and benches, some using wads of toilet paper and paper cups to support their heads in lieu of proper bedding. The floors had obvious stains.
The photos shared by Marté showed a much cleaner intake area. Last month, when Marté and his staff gave WFIU/WTIU a tour of the current jail, inmates were sleeping on beds and not on the concrete floor.
As for the sally port, Marté said its initial design posed several potential hazards. The area has since been widened to help prevent vehicles — especially large transport vehicles — from striking the walls. In addition, better lighting and yellow paint has been added to improve visibility and driver awareness.
The sally port area looks much better today than it did a few months ago, according to the Sheriff's office.
Marté’s update follows months of gridlock and disagreements between county commissioners and the rest of the jail committee on how to proceed with a new facility. Marté has said he needs to move quickly on improving the current jail but hasn’t gotten enough support from the commissioners.
The county is operating under pressure of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union alleging the jail violates constitutional rights. Ken Falk, the legal director for the ACLU of Indiana, said last month that county officials must establish a new jail as soon as possible.
The jail tour given to WFIU/WTIU News last month showed several areas that needed to be sanitized. Jail staff have been handling maintenance duties in addition to overseeing inmates, Marté said.
