The Pinellas County jail population has dropped by more than 500 people in seven days thanks to a concerted effort by prosecutors, public defenders and judges to take pressure off the crowded facility amid coronavirus fears.
On March 16, the jail population was at 3,003 inmates, with 222 sleeping on rubber mats on the floor. On Monday, a week later, the total was down to 2,524 inmates with 40 still sleeping on the floor, according to Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office data.
