ANDERSON — The Madison County Board of Commissioners has endorsed a proposal that would change how the local criminal justice system operates in the future.
Madison Circuit Court Division 1 Judge Angela Warner Sims presented a proposal Monday to the commissioners from the Madison County Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council. The proposal would provide treatment services for people incarcerated and dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues.
The proposal includes the completion of construction work at the new county jail, expanding the number of beds and providing treatment services.
“This is a new way forward with our criminal justice system,” Judge Sims said. “The proposal promotes community-based programs.”
She said the county has faced many challenges in the past decade as a result of jail overcrowding and the outdated facility.
Sims said judges are approached on a regular basis by family members wanting help for those charged with substance abuse and mental health issues.
“Right now, we’re warehousing people that need help,” she said. “It’s an issue that needs to be addressed.
“If we give people hope and opportunities, they will change,” Sims said. “There is an opportunity at our doorstep with the construction of a new jail.”
The proposal includes the completion of the new jail, which will add 132 beds; beginning treatment programs that will be paid for by funds the county has received from the opioid settlement; using the existing Community Justice Center for in-home detention, work release and housing the probation and parole departments.
“I’m confident there is the will to do this,” Sims said. “The question is, how do we pay for it?”
“It will never be cheaper than it is today,” she said of the proposal. “I don’t know is we will ever get this opportunity again.”
Jail consultant Eric Weflen said the additional steel jail cells could be delivered in six months and the engineering work is already done.
“I agree with everything you said,” Commissioner John Richwine said. “The opportunity is now.”
Richwine said the estimated cost to complete the construction of the jail has been estimated at $10 million.
“How do we make that happen?” he said. “There is an opportunity to refinance the jail project.”
Commissioner Rick Gardner said the county invested $79.6 million from a bond issue for the construction of the jail; the interest could be used to complete the work on the new jail.
“It’s a matter of putting all the pieces together,” he said.
The total cost of the project to build a 525-bed facility in North Anderson is $105.5 million.
The new jail is currently on schedule and within the budget, with completion expected in October 2026. Inmates are expected to be moved from the existing facility by the end of 2026.
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