History
Hillsborough County Jail, located in Tampa, Florida, is a modern and secure detention facility that serves the residents of Hillsborough County. The jail has a long and storied history, dating back to the early 1900s.
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Early History
The first jail in Hillsborough County was a small, wooden structure located in downtown Tampa. The jail was built in 1885 and housed approximately 20 inmates. As the population of Hillsborough County grew, so did the need for a larger jail. In 1913, the county constructed a new jail, which was a two-story brick building located on the corner of Nebraska Avenue and Twiggs Street. The new jail housed approximately 100 inmates.
Expansion and Improvements
In the 1950s, the Hillsborough County Jail underwent a major expansion. The jail was expanded to include a third story and a new wing was added to the building. The expansion increased the jail's capacity to approximately 200 inmates. In the 1960s, the jail underwent a series of improvements, including the installation of a new security system and the construction of a new recreation yard.
Current Facility
In 1983, the Hillsborough County Jail moved to its current location at 201 Orient Road in Tampa. The new jail is a modern and secure facility that houses approximately 3,000 inmates. The jail is divided into several units, including a maximum-security unit, a medium-security unit, and a minimum-security unit. The jail also has a medical unit, a mental health unit, and a substance abuse treatment unit.
Jail Programs and Services
The Hillsborough County Jail offers a variety of programs and services to its inmates. These programs and services include:
- Educational programs
- Vocational training programs
- Substance abuse treatment programs
- Mental health counseling
- Medical care
- Dental care
The Hillsborough County Jail is a vital part of the criminal justice system in Hillsborough County. The jail provides a safe and secure environment for inmates while also offering a variety of programs and services to help inmates rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community after their release.
Notable Inmates
Over the years, the Hillsborough County Jail has housed a number of notable inmates, including:
- José Padilla: Padilla was arrested in 2002 on suspicion of being involved in a terrorist plot to detonate a dirty bomb in the United States. He was held at the Hillsborough County Jail for several months before being transferred to a federal prison.
- Michael Schiavo: Schiavo was the husband of Terri Schiavo, a woman who was in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years. Schiavo's decision to remove Terri's feeding tube in 2005 sparked a national debate about the right to die. Schiavo was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, but the charges were eventually dropped.
- Robert Howard: Howard was a serial killer who was convicted of murdering four women in Hillsborough County in the 1980s. He was sentenced to death and executed in 2006.
Challenges and Controversies
The Hillsborough County Jail has faced a number of challenges and controversies over the years, including:
- Overcrowding: The jail has been overcrowded for many years, which has led to a number of problems, including inadequate medical care and mental health treatment.
- Violence: The jail has also been plagued by violence, including fights between inmates and assaults on staff.
- Mental Health Care: The jail has been criticized for its lack of adequate mental health care for inmates.
- Use of Force: The jail has also been criticized for its use of force against inmates.
Despite these challenges, the Hillsborough County Jail remains a vital part of the criminal justice system in Hillsborough County. The jail provides a safe and secure environment for inmates while also offering a variety of programs and services to help inmates rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community after their release.
Future Plans
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is currently planning to build a new jail to replace the current facility. The new jail is expected to be larger and more modern than the current jail, and it will include a variety of new features, such as a larger medical unit, a larger mental health unit, and a larger substance abuse treatment unit. The new jail is expected to be completed in 2025.