Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, July 28, 2015
(DAVIESS CO.) - Daviess County Sheriff Jerry Harbstreit, president of the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, will be among those helping the state of Indiana working on a new law that will provide funding for jails and community corrections.
During its last session, the General Assembly passed House Bill 1006 that will offer millions of dollars to provide drug addiction and mental health programs for offenders.
Harbstreit is part of the advisory committee that is working with the Indiana Department of Correction and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction to establish guidelines for grants and determine which programs receive funding.
"One thing the state is asking is that counties apply for the funding and say what they will be spending the money on," Harbstreit says.
Daviess and many other counties already operate drug addiction programs within their jail and community corrections. The program at Daviess County - RARE - was established through a grant, but that funding ended. The county now operates the program through local funding and volunteers. Harbstreit says about a quarter of the jail population is involved in program, many of whom are on house arrest or in the work release program.
Besides the drug addiction program, officials face dealing with inmates who are mentally ill.
"Many of these people don't need to be in jail, they need help," Harbstreit says. "Area jails are not equipped to handle the mentally ill inmates. That is one area the advisory committee will be looking at."
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.