Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel presented a grant application request to the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning to initiate a Jail Chemical Addictions Program in the amount of $90,000.
Hassel said the grant is through the Indiana Attorney General’s Office and it will help treat addicts incarcerated at the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.
Part of the grant funds will pay for a Jail Program Director, if the job description is approved by the Marshall County Council members.
Hassel said there needs to be an additional effort to reduce recidivism.
“The public has been very vocal about jail needing to be more about housing people. They need to be about treating people. That’s the focus I’m taking. This is one great way that will help make that goal come true,” said Hassel.
Hassel commented times have changed since he started in law enforcement years ago.
Hassel continued, “When you threw somebody in jail it was a deterrent. It deterred them from ever doing it again for the most part. It’s not any more today. They come right back to us. They don’t care. So, we have to offer them something. We’ve got to offer them a chance at life to get themselves straightened out.”
The commissioners approved the sheriff’s grant application request.
He noted the jail population on Monday was 207.
