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State orders Rhea County Jail to fix overcrowding problem [photos]

By Rosana Hughes June 28, 2017 7 min read

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Rhea sheriff says something needs to be done to address jail overcrowding as state issues warning

Beds are piled into a cell where the women inmates are held at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Twenty-five women are housed in an eight-bed cell. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal talks about the overcrowding problem in his office on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn.

A piece of graffiti reading "Stuck in this Place" is seen on the wall where the women inmates are held at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn.

Beds are seen in the hallway of the trusties hall at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Due to overcrowding, some inmates sleep in the hall.

An inmate sits on his bunk, in an office that was converted into a cell, in trusties hall at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn.

Women inmates are seen crowed into a cell at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Twenty-five women are housed in an eight-bed cell.

An inmate looks out of the bars of his cell at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Eleven inmates share a four-bed cell. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

Jesse Lynn Wyatt, center, speaks while a tour is given to show the overcrowding at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Wyatt shares a four-bed cell with ten other inmates.

Jesse Lynn Wyatt, center, stands in his cell at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Wyatt shares a four-bed cell with ten other inmates. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

Eleven men share a four-bed cell at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

Several inmates are seen in their cell at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

Solomon Valiz points to a spot on his arm which he claims is from a staph infection at the Rhea County Jail on Wednesday, June 28, in Dayton, Tenn. Over 200 inmates are housed at the jail which is only approved to house 87.

The Rhea County Jail was built to house 87 people, but more than 200 were crammed in Wednesday, creating poor living conditions and possible fire hazards.

“If this was an animal shelter, I’d be in jail,” Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal said Wednesday.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance on Tuesday ordered the jail to reduce its inmate overpopulation by 50 percent within the next 30 days and completely eliminate overcrowding within 60 days.

In addition, Neal is required to provide a monthly report on daily inmate populations to the Tennessee Corrections Institute, the state agency that sets minimum standards for jails, for the next year.

The jail, which was built in 1962, is approved to house only 87 inmates, but as of Wednesday afternoon, Neal said the jail had 205 inmates with only two guards. Holding cells are having up to 11 inmates when most are built for four. In the women’s area, 25 inmates are jammed into an eight-bed cell with a leak in the ceiling that needs a mop bucket to keep the bed mats from getting wet.