Governor DeWine announces nearly $50M for jail projects

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith Thursday announced funding support for construction, renovation and security improvement projects at nearly a dozen local jails in Ohio.

Governor DeWine announced the grant awards Thursday morning while meeting with community leaders at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio (CCNO) in Stryker, Ohio, which serves Williams, Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Lucas counties. CCNO will receive more than $4.6 million to enhance inmate and staff safety through the installation of secure cell doors in a unit of the jail that houses high-security inmates. Funds will also go toward building an operations center for staff between two minimum-security dorms.

In total, approximately $50 million in funding from the Ohio Jail Safety and Security Program will be awarded to 11 county jail projects, including six construction and/or renovation projects.

“It's critical that our jails are safe and secure, but it's also important that our jail environments can influence positive change and put inmates on a good path upon release," said Governor DeWine. "With this funding, we're helping these local jails move forward with projects that will allow them to better meet the demands of our modern criminal justice system and further support the growing number of inmates struggling with substance use and mental health issues."

2023 Ohio Jail Safety and Security Grant Recipients

Construction/Renovation Projects:
Auglaize County: $2,035,970
Columbiana County: $462,500
Greene County: $15,000,000
Lucas County: $10,065,000
Wayne County: $15,000,000
Williams County: $4,662,756.

Security Upgrades:
Carroll County: $227,300
Hancock County: $248,480.
 
Needs/Feasibility Assessments:
Jackson County:$1,000,000
Miami County: $175,000
Ottawa County: $350,000.

Governor DeWine worked in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly to secure funding for Ohio Jail Safety and Security Grant Program as part of the current capital budget. The program is administered through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Bureau of Adult Detention.

These grants represent the second round of funding offered as part of the program. The first round of grants included $45 million for major construction projects at six local jails and an additional $5 million for smaller-scale projects at six additional facilities.