COVID Update From Rockville Correctional Facility

By Gretchen

Wittenmyer-Stone,

Sentinel Reporter

Rockville Correctional Facility, just 2.2 miles from the center of town, is the largest women’s prison in Indiana. The prison accounts for 15 to 30 percent of Parke County Covid 19 cases, said Liddy Dowd-Wright, county sanitarian.

Dowd-Wright said the county numbers don’t match numbers on the state Department of Corrections website, which are significantly higher. That is the reason she can’t pinpoint the prison’s share of county numbers. She also noted that 30 cases were incorrectly listed for Parke instead of Hendricks County, in early December, so some discrepancies may be expected.

Julie Stout, warden at RCF since 2006, has worked in Corrections for more than 35 years. Stout spoke in detail with the Sentinel about measures taken by staff at the prison to combat Covid 19 as it took hold, and where it stands today. Stout said she has never seen anything like this pandemic.

For the full article, see this week’s edition of the Parke County Sentinel.