The Associated Press
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A jail built to end crowding issues that sparked lawsuits and forced Vanderburgh County to rent space for inmates is over capacity just five years after opening.
The Vanderburgh County Jail is designed to hold 512 prisoners, and jail officials say it functions better at 460 prisoners. But The Evansville Courier & Press reported the jail held a record 606 inmates on July 14 and averaged 564 inmates each day through July 20. It was over capacity 22 days in June as well.
Sheriff Eric Williams said the jail population typically increases in the summer but that it hasn’t surged this high before.
Full Story: Inmate surge strains Vanderburgh Co. jail capacity