During a press conference in Decemeber Dewine announced a total of $12 million dollars for the renovation project at the Hocking Correctional Facility. The facility will be repurposed into a full-service jail and drug treatment center which will focus on female offenders which will be operated by Hocking County.
The Hocking Correctional Unit, which has been closed since 2018, will be repurposed into a day-treatment facility for misdemeanor offenders and a female-only jail.
Sheriff North stated “This truly is an amazing opportunity for Hocking County and all of southeastern Ohio. Not only the ability to have additional jail space for inmates, but also offer real and meaningful help to those struggling with addiction is something we never thought possible, or financially feasible, for Hocking County to provide. I would like to thank Governor DeWine, DRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith for their investment of $12 million dollars in our region, and thank all of the dedicated individuals who have put in countless hours of work to make this conception a reality.”
Judge Moses said “The hard work, dedication, and cooperation of many agencies and groups, both inside and outside of the criminal justice system, have brought this tremendous opportunity to Hocking County. The $12 million dollars in funding will allow the county to better serve the public, create jobs, and provide the much-needed recovery services in our area. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are grateful to Governor DeWine and Director Chambers-Smith for believing in Hocking County’s vision of a brighter future for those involved in the criminal justice system.”
The proposal which was submitted to DRC was a very unique one, something that Ohio had not seen before; a full-service jail and a drug treatment facility meshed together, and operating as an ecosystem with one another.
The full-service jail would provide the additional jail space for inmates that the region is in dire need of, but also offer drug recovery, mental health programs and vocational training to truly help rehabilitate offenders, rather then just have them sit in jail.
The Hocking Correctional Unit was constructed in 1955 as a hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. The facility was also used as a children’s center before becoming a prison in the early 1980s. Project design work will begin this month, with construction starting later in 2022.
