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Committee approves clearer process for transferring inmates between jails and DOC for safety
Summary
The committee unanimously approved a bill that codifies the department of correction’s safekeeping procedure for inmates who pose a risk to their local jail, clarifying when sheriffs can request a transfer to DOC custody.
The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 420, which codifies and clarifies procedures for transferring inmates from county jails to the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC) for safekeeping when a person poses a serious risk of escape, presents violent or aggressive behavior, or requires protection from other inmates.
Margo Akshire, executive director of legislative services for DOC, said the current statute is vague and leaves room for varying interpretations. “This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the Indiana Sheriff's Association conferences, and they requested that we better clarify what that process looks like so that everyone is on the same page when they make those requests to the department,” Akshire told the committee.
Sheriff Dan Mayworth of Adams County, representing the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, testified he had used the safekeeping process multiple times during his tenure and called the proposed clarification a “lifesaver” for facilities and staff.
The committee approved the measure without recorded opposition; the committee vote was 8–0. Committee members said the bill aligns statutory language with current operational practice and provides clearer expectations for sheriffs and DOC staff when safekeeping is requested.
