History and Facts
Paulding County Jail
HISTORY
The old jail was built in 1876.
The jail had been remodeled and updated several times over the 131 years of its service to the county.
The jail failed to meet standards set by the Bureau of Adult Detention (BAD).
BAD allowed the old jail to operate with the understanding that we were constructing a new jail.
On November 5, 2002, Paulding County voters passed the .75 mill, five year, New Jail Operation Levy, by 555 votes to begin collecting revenue for the tax year 2002.
On November 8, 2005, Paulding County voters approved a .5 mill Bond Tax Levy to construct a new Jail and Sheriff’s Office. This levy passed by 861 votes in the amount of $1.8 million for a maximum of 17 years. The remainder of the $2.2 million project was funded through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Grant. 2022 is when the bond expires.
On November 7, 2006, the Operation Levy was brought before the voters for its first renewal. This would take place prior to construction being completed on the new Jail. The levy failed by 426 votes.
In May of 2007 the Sheriff’s Office and Jail moved to its new location on East Perry Street in the Village of Paulding, and began operating as a full- service jail.
On November 6, 2007, the Operation Levy was voted on again. This time it was increased to a 1.5 mill renewal and defeated by 1,094 votes.
On November 04, 2008, the county would run a 2.5 mill. Paulding County Current Expense Levy to cover not only the jail operations, but also other county operations. This levy was defeated by 3,934 votes against the levy.
It was after this levy the Jail would close its doors on November 20, 2008, as a full service jail, becoming a Six Hour Temporary Holding Facility (THF). The office transported all of the inmates to the Van Wert County Jail.
Upon closing the Jail, the Sheriff’s Office permanently laid-off 12 full-time personnel along with 11 part-time personnel.
The office kept a Jail Administrator and 4 Sergeants, along with 3 part-time personnel to staff the Paulding County Temporary Holding Facility (PCTHF).
WITH THE JAIL CLOSED
Crime did not go away;
Suspects are booked and processed in the booking area of the Jail;
Inmates cannot be held for more than a maximum of six hours;
Inmates are transported to a housing facility, and then to Court, and other appointments such as Medical or Mental Health.
The THF tries to maintain at least 1 staff person per shift to book and provide transportation for the inmates.
THE NUMBERS
From December 1, 2008, to December 31, 2015 (85 months), the PCTHF booked 2,900 people into jail.
Inmates served a total of 46,540 days in jail, which equates to about 18 inmates per day serving an average of about 16 days in jail.
The staff transported 7,970 inmates to court, medical, housing, etc.
The county has paid $1,798,547.75 for housing our inmates; coupled with wages and benefits of $1,616,755.00 for those to operate the THF by booking and transporting our inmates to and from a housing facility; the county has paid $3,415,302.00 over the last seven years.
PERSPECTIVE
The cost had the jail remained open during the same 85 months would be approximately $4,568,234.00. This would show the county saved a speculated $1,152,932.00over that same time period.