Scioto County Sheriff’s Office awarded $1.5 million for minimum security women’s jail project

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - The Scioto County Jail has capacity for 200 inmates, including 39 beds for female inmates. Sheriff David Thoroughman says the jail is usually full. But thanks to $1.5 million in capital funding, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office can move forward with a project to create a new minimum security jail for women.

The former juvenile detention center on Fifth Street will be renovated into a 61-bed facility and will house female inmates who have committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies.

“I know that it is a much-needed facility within the state, and I know other sheriff’s offices have difficult finding space to house females,” said Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman.

With the addition of this new facility, Scioto County will be able to house inmates from other counties and generate more revenue to cover the cost of 12 new positions that will be essential to the facility’s operations.

“Our goal is to help them become productive citizens within our county and our community,” said Sheriff Thoroughman.

The sheriff says now that the funds have been secured, they will move forward with the project and plan to begin renovations in 2022.

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