By Jacqueline Koch
Chattanooga Times Free Press
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 roundups, creating an influx of inmates.
Even a new wing at Silverdale Detention Center to house pretrial 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 often are 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.
“Since most state institutions ... began closing their doors on the mentally ill back in the ‘60s, the population has shifted now to those people being in jails,” he said. “Unfortunately, jails have become the mental health institutions of the U.S.”
About 218,000 individuals with severe psychiatric disorders are incarcerated in the nation’s jails and prisons at any given time, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, a national nonprofit organization advocating timely and effective treatment for the mentally ill in Arlington, Va.
Overcrowding has occurred at the Hamilton County jail since the mid-1970s, when capacity was at 279, said Capt. Swope. By the mid-1990s, the population hovered between 500 and 600, prompting an expansion to just fewer than 500 beds.
“The thought at that time was that’d be plenty,” he said. “However, it wasn’t.”
At a recent editorial board meeting with the Times Free Press, Sheriff Jim Hammond said overcrowding remains a problem but won’t deter authorities from making arrests.
“I think in terms of those who are the most serious offenders, I know we cannot afford not to put them in jail,” he said. “I know there has to be a balance.”
Benefits of jail certification
* Requires that jail officials develop a comprehensive, uniform set of policies and procedures.
* Strengthens accountability within the sheriff’s office.
* Can limit liability exposure because the Tennessee Corrections Institute will testify in court about conditions of confinement, if needed.
* Supports the department’s goals for professional excellence.
Source: G.A. Bennett, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
Copyright 2009 Chattanooga Times Free Press