The bids are in and the total is $56,276,080 for the New Vigo County Security Center.

County Leaders are happy that construction may begin as soon as this December.

The new jail was required due to lawsuit by former inmates at the Vigo County Jail that cited overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, under staffing, no access to healthcare, inadequate recreation time.

The current jail was built in 1981 so it is now 38 years old. The first lawsuit that found the jail unconstitutional in 2002 cited many of same conditions when the jail was 17 years old.

The County is sure that by building a bigger jail the unsanitary conditions, under staffing, lack of health care, lack of recreation, and other problems listed in various lawsuits will be permanently fixed.

The current jail built in 1981 is almost paid for.

The convicted habitual drug felon that won the lawsuit against Vigo County is currently serving a 12yr. sentence for drug dealing while he was on probation from a 2005 arrest for dealing cocaine.

One factor contributing to jail overcrowding is the nearly 2 years from arrest to trial (pretrial) time. County officials have stated they are looking for ways to improve this.