Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”The Coshocton County jail is the second least compliant jail in the state of Ohio. The jail, which was built in 1972 was originally built to house 65 inmates. When the state of Ohio implemented their code system it was determined only 15 inmates could safely be housed in the jail. Today there are usually around 80 inmates and as many as 90 serving their time in the building. There are little to no social services offered in the jail. The classroom space has been converted into filing space. The former rec room now holds 10 cots for inmates to sleep on. Others are crammed into extra rooms. At risk inmates can be held in receiving for their entire time incarcerated. The legal limit is 12 hours. Fights are commonplace and the guards have been attacked 8 times. The county has been pursuing a new jail for several years, including seeking help from officials at the state level. Commissioners have often said the current justice center is the biggest liability to the county and the justice center building is considered the worst in the state by the DRC. Justin Yates, right, trims Eldon Church Junior's hair in the former recreation room of the Coshocton County Justice Center in January, 2020. Due to overcrowding, the room has been converted to house cots for 10 inmates.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Kassie Carpenter, 23, looks out from the padded cell listening to the general population at the Coshocton County Justice Center in November, 2020. Carpenter was arrested for felony possession of drugs and shortly after placed on suicide watch and placed in the padded cell. Carpenter was hoping to be able to turn her life around but had a hard time dealing with the recent death of her mother which drove her to be placed on suicide watch and later taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Inmates in cell block B at the Coshocton County Justice Center pass the time watching TV and talking January 14, 2020. The more violent offenders, usually awaiting trial, are placed in the two cell blocks while low level offenders are in more open areas.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Dallas Wood speaks with his girlfriend, Justice Dawson while in cell block A at the Coschoton County Justice Center November 18, 2020. The Justice Center has added video cameras that allow inmates to see their loved ones while in jail during the pandemic and in person visits are not allowed.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”An inmate, working as a trustee playfully pokes his head out from his 4 man cell in January, 2020. The trustees at the jail can earn time off of their sentence by helping the guards with daily tasks like mopping or helping prepare meals.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Zachary Grimmett-Anderson (left) and Joel Davis (right) play a game of chess in the recreation room at the Coshocton County Justice Center November 24, 2020. The jail is the second least compliant in the state of Ohio.There are no programs for inmates. The recreation room has been converted into a bunk room with cots lining the walls. In the center of the room are two tables where inmates can play either chess or cards.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Josh Bechtol eats lunch on his cot located in the jails recreation room due to overcrowding in January, 2020. Bechtol is serving a sentence for failure to pay child support. Many of the inmates at the Coshocton County Justice Center are in for the same reason. This adds to overcrowding in the jail as well as makes it harder for the men to get a job and keep up with child support when they are released. It's a catch 22 the jail administrator, Chip Uschides, wishes he could change.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”An inmate at the Coshocton County Justice Center places a plastic cup over a lightbulb in his cell to dim the light, March 4, 2020.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Summer Wood speaks with her attorney, Marie Seiber and Judge Batchelor during her arraignment June 1, 2020. Due to the coronavirus, arraignments are done by video from the Coshocton Justice Center, which can be add stress for inmates trying to navigate the justice system.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Joel Davis works on a word search puzzle using the light available outside his cell in May 2020. There is a lack of funding for any sort of program including Alcoholics Anonymous or bible studies at the jail.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”Zachary Grimmett-Anderson waits in a hallways at the Coshocton County Justice Center to talk with one of the guards November 27, 2020. The jail has no money for any programs so inmates are often left to their own devices, just wandering the hall or playing a game of cards.
Best of Show - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Life Locked Up in the County Jail”A female inmate looks out from her cell block while brushing her teeth on the morning of May 29, 2020.
