The new mural at the Monroe County Jail.
(Courtesy of Monroe County Sheriff's Office)
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has installed a mural at the jail in an effort to improve the inmate experience.
The painting is in the jail’s sallyport, used to transfer inmates to the building. That’s the first part of the facility inmates typically see, according to Sheriff Ruben Marté.
He said his office wants to give a positive first impression. That’s how it decided on the one word contained in the mural: Hope.
“We see people at their very worst when they first come here,” Marté said. “If you think of hope, now you're thinking, ‘Okay, maybe there is a way for me to change my life and my situation.’ So, now you’ve got a goal, but then you have to have effort to get to that goal.”
The mural is part of Marté’s plan to make the facility more humane — something he has advocated since he first took office.
Jail Commander Kyle Gibbons said the mural is a step toward a cultural shift for the jail.
“What we’re really trying to convey is, for a lot of people, that change starts here; but we wanted to make sure people knew that it didn’t have to end here,” Gibbons said. “I’m not saying it has changed their lives by any means, but … they definitely feel like this isn’t the end for them.”
Elected officials are working on replacing the existing jail, but Marté has said he wants to improve the current facility as much and as quickly as possible.
Marté commissioned local artist Adam Long to paint the mural. Long says the mural’s concept reflects the sheriff’s goals.
“The message right off the bat is that Monroe County is thinking of your best interests; I truly believe that,” Long said. “I don't think we could go any faster right now here in Monroe County to do what we need to do.”
Long started painting five years ago, initially without any intention of pursuing a career in art. He said that changed when he noticed the emotional impact his art can have.
“When I realized I could control other people’s emotions and lift people’s spirits, it became an obsession at that point,” Long said.
Long said he is working on other projects meant to bring people together, including ones for cancer and Alzheimer’s patients and the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington.
Last week, as Long was painting the mural, local officials narrowed options for a site to build a new county jail. County and city leaders alike, including Marté, support using the county-owned Thomson property on Bloomington’s southwest side.
Marté said his staff will continue to focus on making the current jail safer and more humane.
“One of the things that we’re really trying to concentrate on now is to continue to clean and paint, because it’s a constant thing,” Marté said. “The other thing is really acknowledging and seeing where people that have come here before, and what is it that they need so they don’t come back here.”
Marté also wants to improve the staff experience through efforts such as a worker wellness program. He said he needs more staff to achieve his goals, however.
To that end, Marté encourages people to apply for open corrections officer and deputy positions. Details and applications are available on the sheriff’s office’s website.
