Delaware County Jail Inmate Search

Built-in 1992 Delaware County, Indiana 's current county jail is the sixth incarnation of that facility. When Delaware County was chartered in 1827 there was no county jail. Peter Nolin the county's first sheriff kept prisoners shackled to a post in his private residence. A year after the county's founding a log structure was erected to house arrestees. Overcrowding soon became an issue at the new jail.

To compensate more trustworthy prisoners spent the day on their own recognizance. The prisoners' travels were limited. They could range 39 degrees and 30 minutes west of the jail. North and South of the jail trustees could not go further than 154 poles past the jail.

Two years into its existence the log jail was ruled unsafe and too inefficient. As a result, it was decided that a new facility needed to be built. The interior walls of the new building were made of logs with an outer wall of brick. The building had two floors with the upper level serving as a debtor's prison. This jail was used for seven years before it was found to be unsanitary. Additionally, the locks on the cells only worked sporadically. The cell doors not locking properly also contributed to the decision to replace the jail.

Twenty years would pass before $3,000 would be allocated to build a new county jail in Muncie the site of the current Delaware County jail. Nicknamed for its architect Thomas Neely the "Neely Jail" was completed in 1859. There was a cost overrun of $1,947.69. In 1882 the construction began on a third county jail and was completed a year later. The cost of construction was $18,041.10.

In 1922 the third jail was overhauled and a juvenile detention center was added. In a dozen years, the fourth jail would be found to be dangerous and outdated. At a cost of $205,000, a fifth jail was completed in the mid-1950s. By 1978 it was not uncommon for the Delaware County Jail to contain twice the number of inmates it was built to hold. This overcrowding led to inmates filing suit in Federal Court.

Dunn v. Carey not only addressed overcrowding but the lack of certain beverages at breakfast, complaints about the quality of the bedding, and the lack of exercise facilities. The suit resulted in the building of the current county jail. On an average day between 260 and 300 arrestees pass the through the Delaware County Jail. Almost a self-contained community the jail has its own medical facilities, kitchen, and laundry. Inmates who qualify can avail themselves of a variety of counseling services including addiction counseling, life skills development, and anger management. Inmates can also work towards earning a GED.