The inmate population at the Fayette County Detention Center is close to half of what it was in 2018. A significant decline in inmate numbers over the past month is attributed to concerns about the potential for coronavirus spread in the jail.
Lexington Public Safety Commissioner Ken Armstrong said, thus far, no inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. He said one staff member and one contract worker have tested positive.
Armstrong told city council members Tuesday the inmate count was 1186 on March sixth. He said it stood at 807 on Tuesday and officials say that number declined even further - to 789 as of Wednesday. “Any decision to release anyone early is actually is not the detention center’s necessarily their decision. Any parameters that are set forth are made by prosecutors and/or local judges,” said Armstrong.
Armstrong says those released are low-risk non-violent inmates, many identified with health issues. The Lexington jail saw its highest inmate count at 1526 two years ago. Mayor’s Office Communications Director Susan Straub says it is hard to say how much lower the inmate count will go because decisions made by the county attorney and judges impact inmate numbers.?
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