Overcrowding at the Ross County Law Complex has led the county sheriff and commissioners to look at the possibility of building a low level misdemeanor jail, using a dormitory style structure on Fairgrounds Road.
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The current jail in downtown Chillicothe is typically housing between 180-200 inmates, when it was built in the 1980's to hold approximately 94 inmates.
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Ross County Sheriff Chief Deputy T.J. Hollis says this idea would be much less expensive to build and operate compared to a much bigger high security county jail.
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More violent offenders comprise only 25% of the current jail population, according to Hollis. These more serious offenders would still be housed at the lock-down jail at the current law complex, if this dormitory style jail annex could be constructed. The dorm style jail annex could house an additional 140-250 inmates.
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Sheriff George Lavender says are not looking at a tax issue to fund the jail annex, believing it could possibly be done with grants and existing funds, but reminded everyone they are only in the discussion stage at this point.
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Listen to our iHeart Media Communique interview with Sheriff George Lavender and Chief Deputy T.J. Hollis on our podcast link found below....