In Harrison County, smoking is out and orange is in.

“We’ve implemented some new changes as far as how we handle the prisoners,” said Sheriff Ronald Myers, of Harrison County.

After multiple prisoners’ escapes -- the most recent slipped his cuffs while outside awaiting transport -- the sheriff is taking action to make sure it never happens again.

“All the prisoners now are in orange coveralls,” said Myers.

Also, there is no longer any chance of inmates slipping out of their cuffs.

“Everybody is chained with a belly chain that goes around and handcuffs,” said Myers.

The former so-called “hitching post,” where prisoners were chained awaiting transport, is no longer in use. The prisoners are now kept inside.

“They’ll be [in] places in our visiting booth where also the officer can watch [them], as well as the dispatcher,” said Myers.

At least for now, the sheriff is currently taking contract bids to build a new fence out back. Until then, prisoners will no longer go outside since smoking has been banned.

“There’s no smoking here at the sheriff’s office, within the jail, or outside for the inmates,” said Myers.

The sheriff said all these changes will help keep the prisoners in, and help things run as smooth as possible.

“We have no funds to build a new facility. I don’t see anything further down the road, so we have to try to adapt to what we have, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Myers.

A start and completion date for the possible fence has not been set.

The sheriff said once the fence is put up, he hopes to use the space as a recreation area for inmates.