ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — The Ross County Jail in Ohio has come under scrutiny after a recent investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) into allegations of excessive force used by the jail staff.
The Guardian has obtained inspection reports from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitations and Corrections that reveal the jail’s poor conditions and numerous failures in meeting basic standards.
The inspection reports show that the jail has failed nearly every year for the past five years and has been categorized as a “status jail.”
In 2020, the jail was overcrowded, housing 192 inmates despite having a capacity of only 102. The reports also indicate that the jail failed in six essential areas and nine critical areas.
One of the areas in which the jail, according to numerous reports, failed in maintaining written policies and procedures for strip and body cavity searches following reception. The report notes that on the day of inspection, no documentation was provided showing how the policies were developed and implemented in consultation with the county prosecutor, city attorney, or law director as required by law.
Another area in which the jail failed was in conducting personal observation checks of inmates every sixty minutes on an irregular schedule. The reports note that on the day of the inspection, documents provided showed that many checks were conducted over sixty minutes.
The jail was also found to be failing in ensuring that inmates in physical restraints were personally checked by staff every ten minutes, with no documents provided showing compliance with this requirement. The use of physical restraints was also found to not be reviewed for policy compliance by the jail administrator or designee as required.
According to the jail inspection reports, jail staff was not given annual staff performance reviews. Inmate suicide prevention protocols were also not being implemented. The Ross County Jail also failed to perform medical and mental health evaluations for all inmates within 14 days of booking.
The jail’s failure to provide sufficient space for inmates was another area of concern. The reports note that on the day of inspection, three inmates were being held in double occupancy cells despite the requirement of one hundred square feet with seven feet least dimension for double occupancy, stacked bunks. Additionally, the jail was found to be over BRC in dormitory sleeping space, failing to provide fifty square feet per occupant as required.
The inspection reports also noted that the jail was failing to provide regular maintenance and repairs, with many of the cells in need of repair on the day of the inspection. The jail had also not undergone an annual health inspection, with no written plan to correct jail-related deficiencies.
The reports revealed that the jail was failing to meet standards regarding bedding, linens, and clothing. Clean bed linens and towels were not being exchanged once weekly, blankets were not being cleaned or exchanged at intervals not to exceed 30 days, and mattresses were not being cleaned at intervals not to exceed 30 days. No documentation was provided to show compliance with these standards.
The Ross County Jail has been plagued by numerous deaths and overdoses, making it one of the deadliest jails in Ohio.
These inspection reports provide further evidence of the jail’s inadequate conditions and failure to meet basic standards, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of inmates.