Analysis by SPA Editor
With the jailer requesting a study to determine the future of the Pulaski County Detention Center, we decided to look and see what has been going on since Jailer McCollum took over. From what we've seen in the inspections, overcrowding has been at its worst.
We have provided the jail inspections obtained from an open records request to the Department of Corrections here for you to review and decide how things are going.
We have provided the highlights of the 1st Inspection records we received in the table below (2019-2022). We did include the results from the latest follow-up inspection on 9/26/22 since it shows the worse of the overcrowding non-compliances issued by the Department of Corrections. All 1st and follow-up inspections are contained, as they were received, in the ORR linked above.
The total occupancy allowed by the department of corrections for this jail is 171 beds. In September 2022, this jail had 415 inmates. 244 MORE inmates than allowed.
Inmate Confinement Area Inspections
| Date | General Population 171 Bed Capacity | Segrigated Inmates 45 Bed Capacity | Notes from Inspector |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/19/2019 | 337 | 48 (Over capacity by 3 in Dormitory I) | ****** Over rated capacity - prisoners sleeping in the floor in cells 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 155,156, 157, 164- 171. 129, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 179 and 192.130, 145, 153, 158 and 163. ****** Logs provided for review indicate some surveillance checks exceed the required 60 minutes. ****** Logs provided for review (noted as short hall) indicate surveillance exceeds the 20 minute requirement. ***** Busted window in cell. |
| 2/4/2020 | 326 | 40 | ****** Over rated capacity Due to the facility being over the rated capacity, the following Cells had prisoners housed on the floor: 131, 146, 147, 148, 150, 151, 152, 154, 155, 156, 157, 160, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171. ***** Due to being over its rated capacity, the following Dorms had prisoners sleeping in the floor: 129, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 179 and 192 ***** Due to being over its rated capacity, the following Dayrooms had prisoners sleeping in the floor: 130, 145, 153, 158 and 163. ****** Signs of mildew/mold in cells ***** Most shower areas show evidence of mildow/mold on walls and/or ceilings. ***** Sevral vents reflect buildup of lint/dust. *Bathroom vent in Dorm in need of repair/replace. |
| 3/30/2021 | 263 | 34 | ****** Over rated capacity Due to the facility being over the rated capacity, the following Cells had prisoners housed on the floor: 132, 148, 149, 152, 154, 155, 157, 159, 162, 165. ***** Due to being over its rated capacity, the following Dorms had prisoners housed on the floor: 129, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 and 192. ***** Due to being over its rated capacity, the following Dayrooms had prisoners housed on the floor: 130, 145, 153, 158 and 163. ***** Review of 20-minute observation logs reflects inconsistencies on in-person surveillance for suicidal, mentally or emotionally disturbed if house in a single cell; or in detox cells. |
| 2/28/2022 | 326 | 32 | ***** The following Cells were over the rated capacity: 131,146-152, 160, 162, 164-171 ***** The following Dorms were over the rated capacity: 129,133,134,135,136,137,179 ***** Due to the facility being over the rated capacity, the following Dayrooms were being used to house prisoners: 130, 145, 163 ****** Excessive moisture in Dorm. ***** Documentation not provided to reflect review/approval for year 2021 for policy and procedures ***** Bunks not bolted down in Dorm 179. |
| 9/26/2022 | 415 | 32 | ***** Very overcrowded, difficult to walk without stepping on mats and/or inmates in dormitory.!!!!! ****** Shower in need of cleaning. **** Very overcrowded, difficult to walk without stepping on mats and/or inmates in dayroom.!!!!! ***** No cold water in sink in cells 146, 147, 148, 149, 150. !!!!! ****** Showers in need of cleaning in dorms 136 and 137 |
(Note: The total inmates housed went down in 2021 due to COVID.)
We recognize that the jail has had more bodies than beds for many years, even before this jailer, but not to this extent. To say something needs to be done about the current level of overcrowding and the consistency of the issue is an understatement. We can see that from the numbers and non-compliance, but we have also heard from some of the community members who have loved ones incarcerated that other issues may occur at the jail that the inspector has not witnessed. As you can see, the D.O.C. inspector's 1st inspections can be anticipated and initiated around the same time each year. We are not saying that the jail does anything special around inspection time. Still, anyone would mentally mark it as a time to have things running as smoothly as possible in anticipation of the inspection.
From the quick research on overcrowding, it seems that every facet of operation is exacerbated when a jail is over capacity. Minor issues become significant issues. An example of a common occurrence in jails is vandalism, there isn't a lot to do to keep it from ever happening, but when things go wrong in an overcrowded jail, it can easily lead to safety and humanitarian issues. Even something as minor as a toilet overflow can lead to inmates being exposed to filth for extended periods of time. Where do you stick the inmates in an overcrowded cell while the issue is addressed? Another overcrowded cell? This is only one example of how something that seems small can lead to more significant problems. It isn't just the inmates to be concerned with; the safety and security issues caused by overcrowding affect the staff, inmates, finances, and the public. After all, who pays for a lawsuit or an injury in the end? The taxpayers.
Regarding staff, we noted the non-compliance and inconsistencies on the inspections for the 20- and 60-minute observation logs. Is this an indication of short staffing or a lack of training and supervision? When running a jail at more than double its capacity, staffing/training/supervision doesn't have any room for error. Although not confirmed, we had several people tell us that dangerous drugs recently made it into the jail, which led to several inmates in critical condition in the hospital. If this is a fact, it can come back to overcrowding and lack of resources.
We heard the jailer tell the fiscal court at the last meeting, "I thought I'd wait to bring this up during my second term," when he asked if he could proceed with the study. Not acceptable when looking at it from the position of safety, risk, and making sure we continue to treat inmates like human beings. This is NOT a new issue. Why wait until the second term to bring this out on the table? There has obviously been a need for many years. As we noted earlier, the last inspection we received had the jail at more than double the allowable capacity. More than double. We quickly checked the jailtracker on February 6, 2023, and saw that the numbers are back down to 346. Still, that is 169 more bodies than the approved occupancy for this jail. I guess we can say, "better late than never." However, these repairs/expansions/new facilities will likely not be completed in the near term, so we better be hoping things don't go sideways in that jail - for the sake of the staff and the inmates.
So now the next question is, will the old jail be repaired and extended, or will a new jail be built? Both lead to the question of when and where. If a new jail is built, it may be built on a whole different property, but we were curious as to who owns the property around where the jail is currently located. The image below shows possible options for purchasing and extending/building onto the jail on Hail Knob Road around the jail property.
The image is difficult to see who owns what, but it looks to us like there isn't enough room to build a new facility on or near the current jail property. However, suppose the jail is repaired and extended; in that case, it looks like Turpin Rentals (as in William Turpin of the local Republican Party) may have land right next door to the jail he could sell -- and the jail is currently using Turpin's land for their garden space. Another possibility could be the land H & I Investments has near the jail, which the Ikerds own. Or perhaps a separate addition could be built on the Ikerd and/or Todd properties. Without knowing what happens in these executive sessions where land deals are discussed, we have no way of knowing what is getting ready to happen with our tax dollars until it is almost over and done with.
We have heard there has been some sort of problem with the jail and purchases, but there has not been very much transparency over the past eight years, including the jail operations and issues. It was only by chance a concerned citizen began checking the inmate numbers that we were alerted to the severity of the overcrowding issue.
What we know for sure is that this level of overcrowding is a safety and humanitarian issue, and we are glad to see a plan for a new or updated facility finally out for discussion. We hope these deals are done in the open so we, the taxpayer, can know how our money is being spent in the community's best interest.
We will continue to follow this issue and provide updates when possible.