How Dangerous Are Indiana Jails, and What Can You Do If You’re Jailed?

The worst thing about jail is not just the time spent in a cell or the lack of freedom—it’s also the potential threats it poses to your health and physical well-being. According to data compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the death rate of inmates nationwide in 2018 was at its highest rate since the BJS began tracking these rates in 2001. Indiana jails can be particularly dangerous; in fact, a recent report showed that the death rate for Marion County Jail was 2-3 times higher than the national average. If you get arrested and jailed in Indiana, what can you do to minimize the danger and hopefully limit your jail time?

The Specific Dangers of Jail

If you’re incarcerated behind bars in your own cell (while no one likes the idea), you’d think you’d be relatively safe—but in fact, the opposite may be true. Let’s talk about some of the specific reasons Indiana jails can be hazardous to your health:

• Between a lack of sanitation and general overcrowding, jails present optimal conditions for spreading dangerous diseases. Among the most common are tuberculosis, MRSA, hepatitis, and more recently, COVID-19.
• According to a recent Reuters investigation, county jails are seriously understaffed, and many have almost no oversight. Combine this issue with a lack of adequate health care and poor food quality, and the health threat multiplies.
• While jails are generally less violent than prisons due to fewer common spaces, the threat of violence is still present, especially if you’re in a holding cell with multiple inmates.

Eliminating the Danger

If you’re sentenced to jail or prison time, the dangers of both may become a daily fact of life. But if you find yourself in an Indiana jail awaiting arraignment or trial, what can you do to minimize the dangers?

• Avoid confrontation. Emotions run high among the incarcerated, and some may just be looking for an excuse to cause trouble. Keep to yourself and do your best not to provoke anyone.
• Stay visible. If you’re in a cell or common area with other inmates, try to stay within eyeshot of the officers on guard in case trouble starts.
• Contact an attorney ASAP. Of course, the best way to avoid the dangers of Indiana jails is not to be there. Getting an attorney involved immediately after your arrest can greatly increase your chances of obtaining a pre-trial release or bonding out of jail until your trial.

An Indiana jail is not a safe place, but if you find yourself there, it doesn’t mean you have to stay there. The experienced attorneys at Razumich & Associates can work quickly to procure your release and prepare an effective defense to help you avoid further jail time. Contact us today to learn more.