Process for the New County Jail
A Community-Wide Effort
Years before the new county jail opened, the Winona County Board recognized the challenges in the former jail and saw the need for the community to work together to find a solution. In December 2017, the Board established the Jail Advisory Committee (JAC) to help assess the inadequacies in the old jail and develop a plan to move forward.
The JAC consisted of a diverse group from the community, including family members of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people, the jail administrator, the Chief Deputy, the Sheriff, the County Attorney, and local businesspeople.
After a year-long study was conducted on the old jail, the JAC found that simply remodeling the facility would fail to meet government regulations and needs of the county.
In September 2018, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) ordered the old jail to close, citing a long list of violations that could not be corrected at the aging facility.
The county continued to engage the community through public hearings, listening sessions, and events like the Community Collaboration Summit and the Jail Open House.
Based on community feedback and the work of the JAC, the County Board approved the construction of the new $28 million Winona County Detention Center. The new jail became fully operational in December 2023.
Residents have played an important role throughout
the process of building the new county jail.