Officials are working on the best plans for the future after Phillips County Jail was closed on Tuesday due to failing an inspection.
Danny Hickman, the Coordinator of the State’s Criminal Detention Facilities, said, “There were several items that they didn’t meet the standards. Main thing is, the jail becomes deteriorated a lot and it became a very unsafe facility for inmates and for the staff and for the public of Phillips County. And living conditions was not quite up to par.”
The jail in Helena-West Helena was 30 years old.
60 inmates have been transferred to nearby jails and 18 people have been laid off.