Sheriffs in Bartholomew County and the surrounding area say they have not received payments from the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) since last summer to reimburse county jails for holding low-level felons and state prisoners.

IDOC is supposed to reimburse county jails $37.50 each day they hold a Level 6 felon, as well as anyone being held on higher felonies or parole for IDOC, officials said.

However, IDOC ran out of money in its $34 million reimbursement fund in late summer, just a couple months into the state’s annual budget, which runs from July through June.

Since then, county governments have been left footing the bill while they wait on payments.

In Brown County, the delayed payments have put pressure on county officials to advance the sheriff’s department money to continue giving deputies a pay raise.

Last year, the Brown County Sheriff’s Department agreed to house some Bartholomew County inmates to help relieve overcrowding pressure on the Bartholomew County Jail and receive reimbursements from IDOC.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Department planned to use the reimbursements for housing those inmates to fund a retention stipend to raise pay for deputies, officials said.

At one point last year, the Brown County Jail was housing around 30 Bartholomew County inmates, Brown County Sheriff Brad Stogsdill said.

“Then the next thing I know, we’re starting to hear … that by the end of August, (IDOC was) out of money,” Stogsdill said. “…So that was affecting me being able to continue paying my stipend to my employees that was basically a retention stipend to try to keep them there. …It put our county behind now because we’re paying for the (inmate) meals and everything like that. We’re waiting on payment.”

Stogsdill said IDOC owes Brown County $146,300 in approved reimbursements for housing inmates from August to November. The Brown County Sheriff’s Department also has billed IDOC an additional $48,450 for housing inmates in December and January.

Stogsdill said the IDOC has told him they are not sure if they will be able to pay before July, when the new budget starts.

In the meantime, Brown County government officials have had to step in and foot the bill so that the deputies could continue receiving their stipends until IDOC pays.

“It just put us kind of behind the eight ball on trying to keep my people paid the retention stipend, and then we’re having to cover the meals and everything on those inmates that we housed for Bartholomew County, which if DOC pays, it’s a good deal for Brown County and Bartholomew County,” Stogsdill said.

“It’s kind of a weird thing,” Stogsdill added. “I mean, I cannot not pay our bills and keep services.”

‘This happens every year’

Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane said his department also has not received reimbursements from IDOC since last summer.

Currently, IDOC owes Bartholomew County around $137,000 for housing inmates, Lane said.

Lane said the delayed payments are not a new issue, saying “this happens every year.”

“When (IDOC) got their money in July, they paid us, basically, for back pay for the inmates that we had held from July 2023 through June 2024. And that’s the last time we’ve received payments from (IDOC).”

“The frustration comes in (as) they know how much money they owe out, right?” Lane added. “So, they’re not budgeting enough money. They run out of money early because they’ve got to pay off the prior fiscal year’s debts. So, they’re always running a year or so behind. I mean, we can’t operate our business that way. We owe money, we pay it.”

Additionally, even if county jails were being paid on time, the $37.50 reimbursement only covers around half the cost of housing an inmate, Lane said.

That means that IDOC saves money when its prisoners are being housed in county jails, leaving county taxpayers to pick up the rest of the tab.

Lane estimates that it costs the county about $70 to $75 per day to house an inmate. Statewide, it costs $79 per day to house an inmate, The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported, citing figures from Indiana Sheriffs' Association Executive Director Steve Luce.

And that does not include the cost of medical care, staffing and building maintenance, all of which have been increasing in recent years.

“If the state’s telling us that $79 a day is what they estimate it costs them to house (inmates), and they’re only paying $37.50 to the county, that means the county taxpayers have to make up the difference,” Lane said. “If the state thinks that’s OK, why don’t they just build state-run jails around the state and then the county can just reimburse them $37.50 a day, and see how that works for them?”

IDOC, for its part, did not answer questions from The Republic on why it ran out of money for reimbursements a couple months into its annual budget and what plans officials have to get the reimbursements to counties.

However, IDOC spokeswoman Annie Goeller confirmed in a statement to The Republic that funds for the reimbursements are “exhausted” for the current budget year.

“Funding for this expense has been exhausted for State Fiscal Year 2025,” Goeller said. “IDOC is working with the State Budget Agency on available options. We are continuing to communicate with counties about this issue.”

“This happens every year,” Lane said. “…Whenever they get that money, when they get that budget, then they’ve got to pay off the prior year’s debt.”
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