Franklin County Sheriff's Office Gives Tours of Jail to Make Case for New Facility

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office offered tours of its existing jail facility, which was built in 1974, to make its case for a new facility, which requires approval from voters in a special election Aug. 8. The proposed half-cent sales tax increase would cover the costs of building a new jail and the operations and maintenance that would follow. The current jail has enough room for 36 beds, but regularly houses an average of 50 inmates a day. The 5th Judicial District Criminal Detention Facilities Review Committee determined the existing jail did not meet minimum state standards, so the sheriff's office was given a directive to come up with a plan to remedy the situation.