May 31, 2025
CAMBRIDGE, OH – The Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded $7,379,323 through the Ohio Jail Safety and Security Program to support major renovations and an addition to the Guernsey County Jail.
Originally built in 1994, the jail will undergo significant improvements to increase housing capacity and better meet the needs of both inmates and staff. The project includes the addition of new inmate beds, a dedicated medical space, and confidential interview rooms, all designed to enhance safety, security, and operational efficiency.
“This funding represents a major investment in the future of our county’s criminal justice infrastructure,” said Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden. “These upgrades will not only improve safety and security for staff and inmates but will also ensure that our facility can continue meeting the needs of our community.”
The announcement came today from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith, as part of a broader $50 million funding initiative benefiting 19 local jails across the state. The program, launched in 2021 in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly, aims to help counties improve or replace aging, inadequate jail facilities.
“This funding will not only support safer environments for those living and working in our local jails, but it will also help prepare inmates for release by creating improved spaces for workforce development, educational opportunities, and other programming,” said Governor DeWine.
Director Chambers-Smith added, “We are helping these jails provide what they need to better meet the demands of the criminal justice system in their county and prepare the incarcerated population for release back into their communities.”
The Ohio Jail Safety and Security Program is administered through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Bureau of Adult Detention. Including this round of awards, the state has now invested more than $228 million in jail improvement projects across 50 counties.
