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House advances bill to reduce local jail overcrowding, while boosting public safety efforts
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana House of Representatives voted this week in support of legislation co-authored by State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) to help address jail overcrowding and boost local resources to fight crime.
House Bill 1004 would provide judicial flexibility so Level 6 felony offenders can be sent to the Indiana Department of Correction. The state often offers greater access to mental health and addiction treatment services than many local jails.
“Our local law enforcement is overburdened with offenders who need counseling and treatment services more than incarceration,” Baird said. “DOC has the necessary tools, and getting them access to these resources gives them a better chance at recovering and staying out of our criminal justice system.”
Here in Baird’s own Putnam County community, that has certainly been the case since the law changed in 2014, with the county using its own resources to house inmates who were formerly the charge of the DOC.
Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter expressed his support for the legislation.
“When the Indiana Criminal Code was rewritten in 2014, it said that Level 6 felonies had to be served in county jails,” Bookwalter said. “The state basically solved the prison issue by dumping the problem on the counties. This will help a lot. Our county jail does not have the programs offered at DOC.”
According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s 2021 annual evaluation of Indiana criminal code reform, nearly 75 percent of all felony criminal filings were Level 6 felonies. The report also found four of the top 10 felony filings for 2021 were substance related, such as possession of methamphetamine, syringe possession and operating while intoxicated.
Baird said these efforts could help reduce local jail overcrowding and allow locals to redirect public safety resources to where they matter most. According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s latest data, 77 percent of Indiana’s jails are overcrowded or at capacity.
For his part, Putnam Circuit Judge Matt Headley appreciates what Baird is doing, though he wouldn’t mind the prisoners staying in county jails if funding was available for programming.
“With respect to House Bill 1004, I respect our Rep. Baird’s attempt to fill a need because clearly there need to be more resources devoted to recovery programs, whether they are in county jails or prisons,” Headley said. “Since larger counties have more resources than smaller counties and geographic needs vary, local services providers implementing a program designed for their specific county under a general state guideline may be more appropriate than a single Department of Correction program for the entire state.”
Several organizations voiced support for House Bill 1004, including the Indiana Department of Correction, Indiana Judges Association, Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council and Indiana Sheriffs Association.
The legislation now moves to the Indiana Senate for further consideration. To learn more and watch legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.