Dane County Jail Project Moves Forward with Official Groundbreaking

March 13, 2024
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

The Dane County Jail project took another step forward today. Sheriff’s Office staff, community leaders, and project partners joined for a short groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site to recognize the occasion's significance.

“Today, we are taking a significant step toward providing a safe and humane jail facility in Dane County and eventually closing the City-County Building jail,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “Our ability to provide treatment and programming for incarcerated individuals will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our criminal justice system and our community as a whole.”

Sheriff Barrett and several preceding sheriffs have advocated for a new jail facility. The new jail will provide appropriate medical and mental health space and significantly reduce or eliminate solitary confinement. Construction on the new building, positioned directly behind the Public Safety Building in downtown Madison, is set to begin in April.

“It’s important that we have a safe and secure jail facility that provides opportunities for rehabilitation for incarcerated individuals,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “When complete, this facility will end solitary confinement for people experiencing a mental health crisis and help close the much outdated and unsafe City-County Building jail location.”