23-05-2025
Four inmates flee minimum security Franklin County facility on Columbus' Southeast Side
Four inmates are on the loose after escaping from a minimum-security correctional facility on Columbus' Southeast Side operated by the Franklin County court system and the facility's own governing board.
The inmates reportedly broke a window to escape from the Franklin County Community Based Correctional Facility at 1745 Alum Creek Drive, according to Columbus police dispatch. The inmates were last seen heading toward northbound toward Frebis Avenue.
The dispatcher could not provide additional information regarding the inmates or about the escape at the facility, which is a minimum-security, residential prison diversion program for adult male and female offenders deemed to be at lower risk for escape or violence, and is accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA).
The facility is intended to reduce recidivism by directing low-risk offenders there who can undergo targeted residential programs focused on education and rehabilitation. It can house up to 193 individuals (147 males and 43 females) in two separate housing wings with a maximum stay of 180 days.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office told The Dispatch that it was not notified about the breakout for about an hour and half after it happened, believed to be sometime around 8:45 p.m., and that the office is only taking a report about the incident because this happens often.
The Dispatch will update this story when additional info becomes available.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 4 inmates escape minimum-security Franklin County correctional facility
