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| Inspection shows temperatures routinely top 100 degrees at overcrowded Greene County jail |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/02/2004 |
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An inspection by an attorney showed that temperatures in the overcrowded Greene County Jail often exceed 100 degrees. State law mandates that temperatures should not exceed 85 decrees, said Lawrence Greger, an attorney representing the inmates. Greger said last Thursday that his inspection revealed the jail is too crowded and too hot-conditions he says violate a 1989 consent decree to improve the jail. U.S. District Judge Walter Rice said he ordered last Thursday's inspection after receiving complaints about jail conditions. A hearing on the matter was scheduled to be held last Friday in Rice's court. Greene County commissioners W. Reed Madden and Marilyn Reid said the county cannot afford to install air conditioning. The county estimates it will cost $600,000 to retrofit the jail with air conditioning and required windows. Greene County Sheriff's Maj. William Harden, jail administrator, said the facility has between 143 to 145 inmates daily, which exceeds the maximum of 130. Harden said inmates are released using the emergency overcrowding release mechanism outlined in the agreement, but even after that the jail still has around 134 inmates. |
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