Morgan County Jail
The Morgan County Jail has been protecting the citizens of the county since the inception of the Sheriff's Office in 1818. Though many changes have come throughout the years as far as the location and structure of the facility, the main focus has always been to serve the citizens of Morgan County in an honorable way.
Our current facility was opened in 2006 to replace the aging and county jail connected to the Morgan County Courthouse in Decatur. With a capacity of 550 inmates, the new jail brought new technology, better security, and more area for growth of opportunities for inmates inside the facility. As the daily headcount of inmates began to grow, in 2014 the decision was made that there must be an addition constructed to the facility to compensate for the steadily growing inmate population. In 2016, construction was complete on the jail "Annex" which created an additional 444 beds for inmate housing. The inmate population reached the point where we first housed inmates in the annex in the Spring of 2017. With a current daily inmate population of 620 inmates, the forethought of an addition prevented overcrowding and security risks to staff and inmates. The facility can now house upt to 994 inmates and employs 108 corrections Officers who provide inmate management and care alongside our contracted medical staff 24 hours a day.
The approach inside the Morgan County Jail is not that of jails portrayed on television or in literature. The facility is managed to assist in the rehabilitation and recovery of inmates who desire a better life once incarceration is behind them. Aside from an active inmate worker program inside the facility, there is also a work-release program to facilitate the opportunity for inmates to be able to have a steady job and livable income upon release to hopefully deter a return to former habits or addictions. Only those inmates who are charged with non-violent, minimal offenses can apply for the inmate worker program. In addition, we are proud of our partnership with the Neighborhood Christian Center located a short distance from the jail. The NCC coordinates and plans multiple inmate educational classes, religious services, and activities that encourage growth within an individual in the facility. We have traditionally been able to offer 40-50 inmate classes a week.