Moving County Detention into the 21st Century 

The current Pittsylvania County Jail has been over capacity since the day it opened in 1981. It was built to house 36 detainees but is often over capacity. Due to the overcrowded conditions, the County routinely houses 30-50 detainees at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail, which has facilities in Lynchburg, Amherst, Bedford, Halifax and Rustburg. Currently, the County Jail is 222% of capacity, which is more than double the facility’s intended capacity.

The current jail's heating and cooling systems are outdated and the jail lacks space for rehabilitation and educational programs. If no action is taken, the jail will likely experience increasing operations and maintenance costs due to failing infrastructure, potential system downtime, and increased frequency of component replacement contributing to added annual costs. 

When jails were designed and built in the 1970s and 1980s, there was not as much attention given to program spaces for rehabilitation and educational programs, according to Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor.

In addition to reducing recidivism, rehabilitation programs can also serve other goals for the detainee soon to be released back into society. These programs, which include counselor contacts and mentors, enhance overall individual well-being, and improve the individual’s educational attainment, such as completing his/her GED. This helps the released individual better position themselves to continue their education and find gainful employment. It gives a sense of achievement and increases their sense of self-worth, according to Taylor.

Due to its size and lack of capacity, it has historically not housed women due to state law that requires the genders to be completely segregated.

To alleviate the overcrowding and replace the outdated facility, the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors has begun the process of constructing a new jail.

Above: The existing Pittsylvania County Jail has been located along Main Street in downtown Chatham since 1981. 

Project underway with land purchase

The Board has purchased 32.26 acres at 11965 U.S. Highway 29, south of the Town of Chatham. The property cost $500,000 and the Board closed on the property in August 2023.

The property is located across U.S. 29 from The Pittsylvania Pet Center, as well as the Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center and Chatham Middle School. Adjacent to the property are several commercial businesses.

 Above: The parcel outlined in bright green is where the new Pittsylvania County Jail will be located.

The property has the desired attributes – easy access to a major transportation corridor, U.S. 29, and within the vicinity of the Pittsylvania County courthouse and Sheriff’s Office, hospitals and other regional facilities that promote operational efficiencies when taken together. It is centrally located in the County and is in a commercial and industrial area, which fits with the County’s comprehensive plan. It has the desired topography and size and is large enough to accommodate other uses.

This will be a “new generation” jail that, from the exterior, will resemble a community college or similar facility. The jail will have fences and razor wire and fencing over exterior recreation areas, but they will not be visible from U.S. Route 29. The jail will be set back several hundred feet from the highway. 

Above: A conceptual rendering of the proposed new jail.

The jail will house those arrested for both misdemeanor and felony crimes and who are awaiting trial. It will also house individuals who have been convicted of an offense that comes with a sentence of 12 months or less.

The new facility is being designed for 146 beds with the ability to increase to 202 beds. The number of beds is determined through the Community Based Corrections Plan Needs Assessment and Planning Study. 

The project must pass through several state agencies, go before the General Assembly and receive approval by the Governor before construction can begin. Once approved by the Governor, the state will reimburse 25% of the cost of the project, per Virginia Code § 53.1-80.

The preliminary timeline calls for construction to begin in August 2026 with completion expected in November 2027.

To view the presentation by Moseley Architects at the February 20 work session, click here.

 Above: Examples of contemporary jail facilities in Southside and Southwestern Virginia, Central North Carolina and Midlands South Carolina.