The trouble with transport in Indiana jails.

One state district still undecided after last week's primary, and foster youth to benefit from survivor benefits.

From the television studios at Wfyi Public Media.

It's Indiana Week in Review for the week ending May 15th, 2026.

Indiana Weekend Review is produced by Wfyi in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting stations.

Additional support is provided by PA Ritchey.

Across Indiana, hundreds of people sentenced to prison are still waiting in county jails.

As Farah Anderson reports, jails say delays are straining budgets and making operations difficult and dangerous.

For over a year.

County sheriffs across the state warned the Indiana Department of Correction that they needed to move more people out of jails faster after they were sentenced.

Marion County Sheriff Carrie Forest all says it's putting a strain on the adult detention center in Indianapolis, which hit capacity in January and currently has 240 people waiting for transport to a state prison.

But they need to get the people out of here because, you know, if they came in with a bus today and said, I'll take 50 out of it this time next week, that 50 would be their.

Idea, of course, as they are addressing the problem and at the average wait from sentencing to transfer dropped from two months to around one month.

This year, there were 960 inmates statewide awaiting transfer to state prisons.

As of early April.

Does this point to larger issues within Indiana's correctional system?

It's the first question for our Indiana Weekend Review panel.

Political strategist, Elise Shrock Republican, Mike OBrien Camike Jones, editor in chief at Indianapolis Recorder Caroline Beck, government reporter at WFYI I'm Jill Sheridan, managing editor at WFYI.

So at least what should the state do to deal with this issue more efficiently?

Well, I think it clearly needs to be a priority.

And I think you are seeing some folks really trying to force this conversation.

I mean, even at the legislature from a bipartisan nature.

You don't hear me say this often, but you saw in the Senate you saw US Senator Aaron Freeman.

and then Senator JD, Ford, had a bipartisan bill to try and at least force this conversation, last session.

You've got sheriffs from across the state, from red and blue districts trying to say, we're waving the flag.

This is an issue.

so there clearly has to be some prioritization here, because at the end of the day, this is a real human rights issue.

when we see these lapse, this lapse of time and transfer, people aren't getting the services they need.

And this issue will continue to compound itself when folks aren't getting the services that they need.

this affects recidivism rates.

If we are choosing incarceration, for offenders, as a rehabilitative process, we have to provide those rehabilitative measures and they're not going to get them if they're held up in these county jails where you have nearly half the, funds to work with for these programs, in the county where the doc gets a larger amount of money per day to support these individuals, it's going to create a generation harm.

and we have seen it improve in 2024, I believe, was the height of the delay in the transport between jails and State Department.

correctional facilities.

But as was related in the report, I mean, there isn't the financial incentive maybe to even hurry up the transport because it costs less to keep people in the county jails.

There's a push and pull in that.

I think the I think it is nonpartisan in seeking a solution of what is Partizan is who should be going to jail for the crimes they committed.

And where is that line?

12 or 13 years ago now, the how the legislature went through the criminal code reform, where they recast all these misdemeanors and felonies, to try to rebalance a county jail, holding somebody versus a state facility holding somebody, or they're not going to jail at all.

but then over the years, as high profile crimes are committed, there's enhancements filed by the legislature every year that that kind of undermine that, that criminal code reform.

And so the legislature tries to be reluctant to, to pass those, but sometimes it's just politically hard because you may have some like, top of the headline crime that was committed.

That is a class six felony.

And they're like, and they're like, that's not good enough.

You know, that this is this was a horrific thing that happened.

And so there's a political incentive and a PR incentive to go in and constantly be tweaking this criminal code statute.

And the consequence for that is the population shifts and the and the system is out of bounds.

And it's been a long time.

And so maybe it's it might be time for the legislature to go back and, and look at this again and really comprehensive, because we don't really know who these people are.

They do, of course, but the legislature know the metrics of people who are sitting in county jail right now and whether they should be there to begin with or they should be accelerated into a state facility.

Something to me, though, that we have heard from sheriffs, you know, all around, especially here in Marion County, we have a brand new jail here in Marion County that we already know is is is full to capacity at times, you know.

is this just contributing to the overcrowding problem that many counties in Indiana are experiencing?

Many counties in Indiana are experiencing.

And across other states as well, because I was looking it up.

And, you know, Oklahoma is experiencing a very similar issue.

So when we're looking at this issue, I think you do have to look at the larger system of like, what?

the sentences are the length of the sentences, what diversion programs.

If we're spending the resources anyway, how better could we spend those resources for mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, or other programs that would reduce recidivism and possibly, minimize that bottleneck that we're experienced continuously?

Caroline, what do you think?

You know, as far as legislation, we've talked a little bit here, but recently, things have been proposed to at least start the conversation.

Yes.

Senator Aaron Freeman had a bill this year that did not make it all the way through, but it was to try to force the conversation of wanting to at least address Marion County Jail issues here and require the, IDoc to actually transport people every week.

There was a requirement there.

It didn't really go anywhere because we're not in a budget session.

And this is a, you know, a financial issue that we're dealing with that you know, the county jails are saying that they don't have enough money to or they they don't get as much, funding to house these folks as the prisons do.

So there's a little bit of, you know, push and pull there that there's a problem.

So this is, I think, going to be something that they hopefully will address during the budget season, next legislative session in 2027.

And there's there's also, you know, outside factors too, that are I think, pressing in on this too, when we are talking about the Ice detainees that are becoming a factor.

And that's taking up space in the Marion County Jail, too.

So it's, you know, it's we're talking about sensing restructuring and the financial issues.

But now we've got this federal side of the push as well.

So that's compounding on all of these problems too.

Let me ask you about that, Elise.

I mean, we are we do know that, you know, counties are some counties cooperating with federal government and holding detainees in county jails.

Do you think that is also a significant a factor to the overcrowding that we're seeing?

Yeah, I mean, and when we talk about prioritization, we passed a bill that requires, counties to adhere to Ice protocols.

so we're saying, you know, this is a priority.

Meanwhile, we're putting a strain on our local, infrastructures that exist and that are trying to get by.

So, yeah, I think it has an effect.

And I think we need to look really closely at, highly politicized conversations and what that actually means for our neighbors, for our communities.

and what is real.

I want to ask you to, Mike, I mean, you mentioned we don't know who these people are sitting in jail.

They know, but we're not so sure.

Do you think the Ice detainees are playing a factor into this, Overcrowding issue over already overcrowded?

And you compound it with some unexpected, like, population you're going to pursue and yes, that that you weren't you weren't planning for an 80 year a year ago, but you can kind of anticipate, based on history, like what your population flow is going to be.

but look that if, if the last time we did this, the last time we really tried to like, comprehensively look at criminal code reform in doc policy, it was it was by Partizan bringing the Ice issue.

And it will not be bipartisan.

That will be deeply parts.

I think there's going to be a dissonance to when you see, you know, the time New York Times reported, like in Indiana is supposed to have one of the largest influx of ice beds in the nation.

So if we're hearing from our local county sheriffs, hey, we don't have enough room.

And yet we're seeing all of these other resources, whether it's coming from the federal or the state.

going towards an influx in beds for ice.

People are wondering.

Wait, I don't think the concept.

Is right.

That those populations are going to go to county jails.

We're going to we're going to have detention centers, like we're going to get the 10%.

But but there's a dissonance.

And like, if we can do that here, then, then why then why aren't we spending that in our actual right communities?

Time now for viewer feedback.

Every week we pose an unscientific online poll question.

This week's question Should Indiana make changes to its correctional systems to lessen the burden on local jails?

But yes or no.

Last week's question posed to viewers will Tuesday night's results when Trump backed candidates won so many races have a lasting impact in the General Assembly.

62% answering yes and 38% saying no.

If you would like to take part in the poll, go to wfyi.

Morgan I w I r and look for the poll.

The race between incumbent State Senator Spencer Deery and his Trump backed challenger, Paula Copan.

Hoover could come down to one vote to pick a new county is the last to decide on a handful of provisional ballots today.

The last provisional ballots to be counted in the race are in Tippecanoe County, where the board is considering two votes today.

On Wednesday, the election board in Parke County decided to approve one provisional ballot in favor of her dairy.

This now means dairy has a three vote lead over Copenhagen.

Deery could now win by a single vote.

Provisional ballots in Fountain and Montgomery counties were counted on Monday.

The deadline for counties to certify the election results is today.

If a candidate calls for a recount, that could delay final results.

So much as a recount inevitable.

If we don't have recounts for one vote margins and let's just get rich and just delete the statute.

So absolutely, there will be a recount.

it's been a pretty it's been pretty fascinating.

Yeah.

Like day to day.

It's like, okay, here's three more provisional ballots.

What are they going to do?

You know, what do they say?

so it's just a it's just a wild it's just a wild finish, but it's it but it does.

I mean, we're entering a season of potential leadership fights, and, I mean, every vote is going to count, you know?

And so if this would flip to Paula, you know, she had to make a commitment that she wouldn't support Rod Brady for Senate president.

Right.

So I mean there's there's a lot that matters here.

long term.

And so we had of the, you know, eight targets, six of them on this could be France or 5 or 1.

This is how they're going to be, you know, a five, three which is less of a sweep than.

Yeah, than it sounded like before.

But man, it's I mean, this is a lesson anybody who goes door to door and you decide to quit early that.

One more time.

There's one more door.

I mean, we have heard a little bit now about, chatter about closing primaries, having closed primaries because, because of these real tight races that we're seeing.

Is that something do you think that, Indiana would follow up with?

I mean, it's I mean, like I said, like Mike said, it just really depends on who ends up in, in leadership, what the makeup of the legislature looks like after this.

And, I would be interested.

I mean, this type of stuff is what every political nerd lives for, right?

Like no matter what side of the aisle you're on, you are checking the news to figure out, like, what's going on.

You're looking to see if the recounts happening, who's getting appointed to the election commission, who's getting appointed.

so, I think if that does happen, they're going to be, a lot of inner, sanctum folks paying attention.

But the amount of education that will have to happen for that, for the wider public is going to be real because.

parties do it.

Yeah, yeah.

Close and one open.

I like what's there.

But mean that's going to cause there's going to be a lot of wider education that needs to happen about what that really means.

Yeah.

And then, you know, that educational piece is something we talked a lot about this week.

Caroline.

Yes.

She we have been nerding out and yeah, she's out on west central Indiana, you know, following some of those provisional ballot counts.

Yeah.

what's it like being in the room?

I mean, it's been fascinating.

just to watch these, you know, I was out in Fair County, very rural part of the state, and seeing these election board folks that are just, you know, like everybody knows each other in these meetings.

So it's really sweet.

And, just watching this process of like, how they are considering provisional ballots, you know, they're the one instance they talked about as a 17 year old was registering to vote, but they the paperwork got confused.

But he was going to be 18 by the time general election, so his vote should be able to count.

They were able to reconcile all of that and then they get to count the ballots.

So it really is you know, I talked to a political scientist of saying that there's a lot of times recounts happen with these smaller races.

And this instance right now with this state Senate race, it's just putting that view of, you know, what our election process is like and to, you know, hyper focused view.

and so it's it's, as a reporter, just really reassuring to see the process play out like it is to see that it's actually working.

And provisional ballots are being counted now.

Doing counted right now.

Exactly.

I know and we have heard from some, you know, state lawmakers, comigo, that say, we have to be careful when this recount does happen because, someone like, Secretary of State, Diego Morales would be on the recount commission, and, should we also be paying very close attention when when the recount does happen?

I think we do need to pay close attention to this.

And I think it's really an opportunity this and I look at it, this is an opportunity to really restore faith in the democratic process.

There's been so much talk about potential fraud and who's, able to vote, who shouldn't be able to vote.

And then obviously there's issues around voting rights and things like that.

And people are and we already have a low voter turnout in Indiana anyway, so we don't really want to work any harder to discourage people, to make them believe that their vote actually won't count.

If they took the time to show up to the poll or send in a ballot.

So I think it really does matter that we take the time to end the resources to count every single vote, because people need to know that their participation in this democracy matters.

And is an opportunity.

That's why it's important that provisional ballot pieces, that's why that's important.

Yeah.

So people don't understand like every election there's griping about like okay, now, now the margins are shrinking or it's growing in like the little brown race, for example.

but that's why that provisional ballot piece so you are there is a safety net.

So you say you don't just turn away and go, oh, sorry.

One things wrong, right?

Right.

Cast your ballot and figure it out later.

Yeah.

Trust in the stories we say at the doors right when we're like your vote.

Really does count.

You know, in Tippecanoe County it came down to one vote.

Don't go.

We really need you to make it to the polls.

There's an opportunity.

But Indiana foster youth whose parents have died will now have access to their survivor benefits once they leave the system.

Caroline Beck reports on a new executive order signed by governor Mike Braun that takes effect immediately.

Currently, Indiana keeps a hold of those survivor benefits to the tune of $3.2 million annually.

The funds have been going into the Department of Child Services budget to cover the state's foster care costs.

Now, once foster children age out of the system, they will get to take home their parents Social Security benefits, among others.

Braun said the cost would not be a significant blow to Dixon's budget.

This executive order is about making sure dollars intended for a child are protected and used to support that child's future.

Indiana is joining ten other states that have already made similar changes.

The funds will be stored and secure accounts set aside by DCFs.

So, Caroline, is this a major win for Indiana's foster youth?

Yeah, I would say it certainly is.

the DCS leaders, the other day when they announced this, were saying that, you know, foster kids could see something a little under $800 a month for these benefits.

and you know, that funding is going to be set aside in a secure account.

So when they do come of age, then they'll be able to access that.

But yeah, this is I mean, I really could be a very transformational thing for these children who, you know, don't have that base of, you know, parents who can step in and, you know, help buy a car when they need or help get them into college when they need it.

So the fact that they are able to access these kind of funds, I think could be really great for them.

Yeah.

And this has been, you know, a bit of a wave of other states are taking this action now as well.

But, we have known for a while that states like Indiana are keeping these benefits.

So I kind of wonder why now.

Yeah.

I mean, I think this is something that actually is coming from the white House.

I think this is something that, is part of the home for Every child initiative.

and I'm actually glad to see it.

I think this is good.

Oh.

So, and, and we've seen a lot of bipartisan support coming from the state House, too.

I mean, we saw the, foster child bill of rights that was signed, you know, that was authored by, you know, Senator Kyle Walker and Senator Andrea Hanley.

we see, executive orders like this.

This is this is good.

And this shows us that we can come together and we can solve some problems, in a bipartisan fashion, and set our youth up for success.

I think, because these, foster kids are going to come into a large sum of money, I also think it's going to be really important that we take the, group of really wonderful organizations like Foster Success, all of these different agencies that support these youth and give them not just, tools, but access to the different, you know, supports to manage possibly a large sum of money that you all of a sudden get when you're 18 years old.

I think that's going to be an important part of this.

but this is overall positive, and it makes me hopeful.

And I think we need something hopeful right now.

Thing hopeful.

And we do know that foster youth are some of the most at risk youth when they age out of the system.

So this will be significant for them.

but as a part of this as well, this initiative is to try to level up the amount of foster parents and foster children that may be a little more difficult.

Well, yeah, that's always been a challenge.

but, yeah, this is great.

and the governor is doing what he can within the boundaries that he, that he can operate.

So whether it's, it's increasing benefits for state employees or parental leave for foster parents or, and things like this, he just, you know, he's just putting in place a lot of things along the same the same lines as this where he can legislature stepped in.

not just for foster care, but if we're going to take big swings at childcare and, and other things, then legislature is going to be the step in.

But it's crazy.

Like Governor Brown's like doing what he can within within the power and the population that he supports.

And something that, you know, the state has struggled with for quite a while, you know, finding the support systems for foster youth.

And this is, kind of a, you know, just common sense solution seems.

Yeah, it does.

And it seems like a really positive thing.

I have some experience in social services in my previous life, and, this particular age group was it was very challenging to find those supports because a lot of things are just kind of taken away as soon as they age out.

And so we know that they're at high risk for being unhoused and unemployed.

And like you mentioned, not having that safety net or somebody that they can rely on.

And I think some folks who are not in that position don't realize just how vulnerable you can become when you just don't have a place to lay your head, or you just don't have somebody that you can pick up the phone and call for gas money and things like that.

So I think this will be a game changer for kids in that age group.

Something positive.

The annual celebrations for Native American Heritage Night happened recently at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

Max Freeman is the marketing director with the Indianapolis Indians.

He coordinates Native American Heritage Nights with the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana.

Freeman says the new jerseys took more than 18 months to design and are packed with meaning.

Symbols include the city flag and ribbon work specific to the eastern Woodland tribes.

That includes tribes from the Great Lakes region where the tribe is focused, he says.

While collaboration with the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana has guided the direction of Heritage Knights, he'd like to collaborate with more tribes to help amplify their messages.

We really just invite them to come in and see what we're doing, see that it's authentic and that the partnership is real and that we're trying to help amplify each other.

It was the fourth annual Native American Heritage Night at Victory Field.

I'm Sarah Neale Estes.

So Kuminga has the team made, you know, enough significant moves to honor its Native American history?

Well, I don't I can't speak to enough.

I, but I do think making the effort really makes a difference and bringing people into the conversation in a meaningful way and, mentioning the partnership and so that it's not just, that someone is dictating what's going to happen with that, having a conversation and being open to listen to what different people have to say, obviously, that there's not, a monolithic view within any particular community.

So just bringing in the various voices so that people can, have their point of view heard.

I mean, we have heard as this name, you know, has been scrutinized for a reason in recent years.

You know, that, you know, we're Indiana, we're Indianapolis.

This just makes sense for our team, right?

Does this make sense with the land acknowledgment and and the other moves that the team has taken?

Yeah.

I mean, I think it totally makes sense within Indianapolis, Indiana's history.

You know, we've had a bit of, you know, touchy, you know, especially when you're looking at the legislature about how do we address talking about our history in America, in Indiana.

And I think this is it seems like a very middle ground of the way to address the issue.

We just also recently, you know, heard about the Indianapolis Clowns club coming back.

That and then and involved with the Banana League.

And so I know that has maybe caused some concern about folks.

and talking about that one community thing in the, in the black community specifically because that's a historic black team.

And so the reference to that is maybe, had some concerns.

But again, it's, you know, we're all trying to talk about this in a camaraderie way of talking about, you know, America's greatest pastime.

And so I think there is, you know, concern.

But again, nobody is a monolith.

And that everybody's got to have different views on this.

But it seems to be a positive thing whenever you're trying to have name recognition and honoring historical tribes like this.

So yeah, I think it's, you know, it's going to be good, I think, all around for everybody.

But certainly, well, it's Fast Friday, it's May in Indianapolis, and the 500 announced to sell out this week.

So, tell me, you know, what is your favorite part about me in Indianapolis?

I like the way the community comes together.

I'm really looking forward to checking out.

Well, Higgins, exhibit, at the contemporary Art Museum.

What's your favorite weekend?

Well, my son just ran the mini marathon for the first time, so it was really awesome.

Just a chairman and be a part of the scene.

What?

I think.

My.

It's a I mean, I'm with obviously it's a great I've known to the race forever huge group of about 50 people to go and take a bus is awesome and just a great it's great for the community.

It's great in the neighborhood seeing houses decorated.

And, you know, it's just it's just a cool thing.

It's not.

My favorite.

yeah, I mean same I grew up in speedway, so I'm a speedway race, baby, all the way.

My birthday falls right around the the race day.

So I'm fully a track baby.

But I mean, just just for the community that it brings out and people's wonderful.

and I'll be supporting Catherine like.

All right, happy man.

That's Indiana week in review for this week.

Our panel has been ... Political strategist, Elise Shrock Republican, Mike OBrien Camike Jones, editor in chief at the Indianapolis Recorder Caroline Beck, government reporter at WFYI You can find Indiana Week In Reviews podcast and episodes at wfyi.org - slash IWIR or on the PBS App.

Join us next time because a lot can happen.

And in Indiana week.

The views expressed are solely those of the panelists.

Indiana Weekend Review is produced by Wfyi in association with Indiana Public Broadcasting stations.

Additional support is provided by PA Ritchey.