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Grand Jury calls some Blountville court holding facilities conditions 'totally unacceptable'

Published September 5th, 2007 | 2 Comments

A Sullivan County grand jury�s tour of the county jails and court holding facilities puts the spotlight on needed updates to the booking facilities and the Blountville Justice Center�s court holding facilities now that the grand jury is satisfied that the new jail has done much to alleviate the ever-present problem of inmate overcrowding.

The grand jurors reserved their heaviest criticism for issues discovered during an Aug. 15 tour at the Blountville court holding facilities, where they observed one guard keeping watch over 25 to 30 inmates with only a curtain (a sheet) dividing men�s cells from the women�s � and that number can easily double when both courts are in session.

Citing a state law requiring men and women to be separated by sight and sound, the grand jury found the divider �totally unacceptable.� Additionally, the grand jury criticized a fan used to cool the area, which has faulty air conditioning.

The facility�s overcrowding coupled with a state law requiring inmates charged with crimes against children or crimes of a sexual nature to be isolated frequently negates the intended use of two lawyer/client rooms, which often serve as isolation cells for these inmates, according to Maj. Brenda Hensley, who said a third room is utilized for confidential meetings when necessary.

Hensley said Tuesday she believed the grand jurors had surveyed the holding facilities at the request of court officers and judges, possibly because the limited capabilities of the holding facilities can back up court proceedings.

�The crime rate that we are experiencing today has surpassed the vision of those involved in building the current facility,� stated the grand jury, �We consider it to be a volatile situation for both the inmates and guards.� They recommended building an extension behind the courtrooms or at the second-story level to alleviate the situation.

The booking area at the detention center also came under fire for being too small to conduct medical assessments and property inventories for the 10,000 or so inmates booked annually.

The grand jurors did praise the county�s efforts to alleviate overcrowding in the old jail with the number of inmates trimmed from 35 per cell to just 16 per cell as of July 10, but with 225 of a possible 242 inmates already in the new minimum-security jail and 685 inmates and only 623 beds at the old jail as of Tuesday, Hensley confirmed that the problem of overcrowding continues to plague their facilities.

In addition to adequate air conditioning, more space and more beds, the grand jury cited the need for more shelves in the library and a replacement for a dishwasher that Hensley said had churned through at least 20 years worth of dirty dishes. It was the only appliance not replaced during a 2006 kitchen overhaul, she added.

Grand jurors did, however, offer praise for the chapel, decorated with former inmate Tim Cross� paintings and deemed appropriate for inmates of any religion.

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The Blountville jail is Sullivan County's dirty little secret. The staff and facilities of the jail are most definitely below acceptable standards, yet somehow they manage to skirt the laws and regulations each year. I know one jailer very well that has worked at that facility for a few years, and he's actively searching for other employment because of the actions of the other staff towards the inmates. An un-announced inspection, a "sting" of sorts, would be the only way to unmask the wrongdoings of the Sullivan County Justice Center.

Ronald Simmons | 9/5/2007 - 9:15 AM - ( Comment

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I represent a former inmate and his family. He was beaten very badly on August 1, 2006, while in the Sullivan County jail. I ask for anyone with info about this or other beatings to please contact me. blair@durhamanddread.com.

Blair Durham | 9/6/2007 - 10:55 AM - ( Comment

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