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| If you build it, they will come |
| By msnbc.msn.com |
| Published: 03/18/2009 |
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By Jacqueline Koch, jkoch@timesfreepress.com The Chattanooga Times Free Press March. 17, 2009 Chattanooga, Tenn. - For about 10 days in late November and early December, the Hamilton County Jail had a population under its 489-person capacity. But the economy worsened, prompting an increase in crime. Law enforcement officials conducted large-scale fugitive round-ups, creating an influx of inmates. Even a new wing at Silverdale Detention Center to house pre-trial inmates didn't take pressure off the downtown jail, which had a population of 547 on Tuesday but is certified for 489 inmates. "I use the saying from an old movie, 'If you build it, they will come,'" said Capt. John Swope, who oversees day-to-day operations at the downtown facility. "It does seem that way." Though overcrowding is not a new or unique issue to Hamilton County, it remains a problem with constant attempts to find solutions, officials say. Extra inmates means more groceries, more medical supplies and more tension among inmates, said G.A. Bennett, director of support services for the sheriff's office. Officials sometimes use shower cells to house unruly inmates and holding cells for inmates are often standing room only, officials said. "Jail overcrowding is the No. 1 problem of just about every jail in the country," he said. "It probably always has been and probably always will be. As law enforcement finds new technology and other programs to arrest criminals, that obviously increases the jail population." In December, officials began moving inmates to one of Silverdale's new 64-bed wings. The wings are meant only for inmates who have not yet had a trial. Another new wing will open when population increases at the county jail and Silverdale necessitate it, said Tommy Standifer, superintendent for the county corrections department. Because the jail reached under-capacity numbers, it achieved certification status, meaning it met Tennessee Corrections Institute standards related to population, sanitation and building safety, among others. It had not met certification standards during a prior inspection in September. The jail currently is certified. The sheriff's office also hopes to alleviate some of the overcrowding by implementing a crisis intervention team that would handle mentally ill people, who are put in jail after interactions with law enforcement instead of receiving help at other facilities. Though the team is in the beginning stages of formation, the idea is to train officers to deal with crisis situations and on-site negotiations before taking a person to a specialized facility and not jail, Mr. Bennett said. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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