The Hamilton County JailRECOMMENDATIONSRecommendations included in the study include:• Get a better handle on the number of employees who take off work. When an employee calls in, it’s deducted from vacation. High overtime hours correspond to amount of time off.• Examine video visitation to reduce manpower used at the jail. Proposals from companies were just submitted, according to the sheriff.• Eliminate the practice of using corrections officers to transport citizens in the community to mental health facilities.• Stop assigning corrections officers to non-jail positions.• The sheriff and Hamilton County Commission should begin a serious discussion about the future of the county jail.Source: Jail and Staffing Assessment
Marty HaynesFor years, grand juries in Hamilton County have been calling for a new jail, saying the present one is antiquated and needs such upgrades as a mental health wing.
Now a study has uncovered a host of problems ranging from broken locks to a shortage of corrections officers that the report said has staff continually operating in crisis mode.
The findings are included in a 222-page study of the Hamilton County Jail completed by the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service and issued earlier this year. Among the findings:
• On the third floor, where both low-risk and high-profile inmates are housed, some inmates can let themselves out of their cells. Throughout the facility, most of the windows need to be replaced and cannot be secured.