Convert jail to temporary holding facility, consultant tells Struthers

STRUTHERS

A consultant recommended to city leaders today that the city significantly scale back its jail to reduce costs and liability.

Robert Pace, formerly director of corrections at the Cuyahoga County Jail and now a consultant with Managed Confinement, presented the results of his research and suggested the city convert its jail to a restricted temporary holding facility (THF).

Struthers jail, which has a recommended maximum capacity of nine inmates, currently operates as a 12-day facility, which means it is licensed to hold inmates for up to 12 days at a time. Municipal jails may also be licensed through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction as 12-hour THFs. The temporary holding facilities are permitted to hold inmates for up to six hours at a time.

The regulatory burden increases for higher-grade jails.

“Every hour you keep someone in your jail, your liability increases,” Pace said. “It’s like a ticking bomb.”

The Struthers jail, which was built in 1964, does not meet many of the minimum jail standards required under state law for a 12-hour facility.

Read more about the situation in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.