Knoxville News-Sentinel
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — The Carter County Jail isn’t expected to open until June 14 and there are already concerns that it won’t be able to hold all of the prisoners it needs to hold.
At a Law Enforcement Committee meeting of the Carter County Commission on Monday night, committee members expressed concern with the new jail’s capacity of 296 inmates. Sheriff Chris Mathes told committee members the inmate population is at 302 at present, meaning some prisoners would be sleeping on the concrete floors if the jail were to open today.
Because it is not yet open, the prisoners are sleeping on the floors of the old jail and the temporary pods, which have a total capacity of 202. Mathes said a lot of families have complained about the overcrowding.
Committee member Ken Arney asked about the possibility of placing more prisoners on house arrest and using location-finding ankle bracelets to keep up with them. He said it could save county taxpayers a lot of money because the county does not have to provide food, clothing and medical expenses for someone who is at his own home.
There was another suggestion to continue the use of the temporary pods.
The committee approved a motion to meet with the judges to discuss solutions to the overcrowding.
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