Built to address overcrowding issues, provide additional space for recovery programming, and increase safety for both inmates and staff, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center is an important addition to the region. The project was spearheaded by a study that found their former facility insufficient in meeting the standards required to ensure the health and wellbeing of confined persons. Partnering with Elevatus Architecture for design and Weigand for construction management, the county began the process of planning a new building that would support these growing needs.
The completed project serves multiple functions, creating a more efficient operations workflow for the various departments located under the same roof. This is made possible through features such as:
The Detention Center has improved space and access to resources, including:
The building layout provides not only more room for inmates and staff but also structures the space with room for expansion should the need arise.
For county leadership, this project wasn’t simply about constructing a larger facility; it was about facilitating healing and giving inmates the tools to re-enter society better than they left it.
“This is more than a new building. It’s a new way of thinking about incarceration. We’re addressing the root causes of crime, helping people recover, and making our community safer.” – Chad Banks, County Commissioner, Whitley County
While it’s easy to see detention centers as one-dimensional in the role they play in a community, the vision for Whitley County was much bigger. The project team saw this as a significant opportunity to transform lives of inmates, their families, and those throughout the region for the better.
“Modern jail facilities are not just punishment or places for people to pay their punitive debts, but they’re places where they can get healing, they can get help, and it excites me for this facility to have that influence, to serve this community.” – Tony Vie, Justice Team Lead, Elevatus Architecture
