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| | Wednesday, September 21, 2016
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Corrections Partnership meets
Members of the Cocke County Corrections Partnership Committee meeting this week talked about the need for a plan of action for the jail. The women's jail is not certified and the annex jail which houses male inmates is in jeopardy of loosing it's certification. Sheriff Armando Fontes said the primary issue at the annex is overcrowding. While the jail is certified for 132 beds, there currently are 198 inmates. Only eight of the inmates have been convicted, and are being housed as state inmates, the others are awaiting disposition of their case. The sheriff said the state pays the county just over $30 daily to house state inmates, but sending county inmates to another county would cost $36 daily per inmate. To bring the current level of inmates to the certified number would mean housing 60 inmates elsewhere, at a total daily cost of $2,160. He did express concern however that housing inmates elsewhere would free up beds for only a short time because new inmates are arriving daily and the jail likely would soon again be overcrowded. Commissioner Robert Green suggested that the county elect another General Sessions judge. Holding night court would mean cases could be moved through the court system at a faster pace, and that would decrease the number of housed inmates. County officials are looking to develop a work release program to put inmates to work at a local manufacturer who is having a difficult time finding workers. Mayor Crystal Ottinger said if the jail is to remain certified the county must come up with a plan of action to address the overcrowding issue. One way to address that issue is to move ahead on plans to build a new justice center, including a new jail. The committee was told 18 to 25 acres of vacant land will be needed, so that the facility will have room to expand in the future. Also state law requires that a justice center, unlike a stand-alone jail, must be built in the city. Newport has little undeveloped acreage, but a suitable site nearby could be annexed by the city to meet the requirement. County Attorney Carter Moore suggested that the committee, review other jails so that construction is built initially to meet current and long-term needs. Sheriff Fontes pointed out that the recently constructed Jefferson County Jail is already overcrowded. The sheriff also addressed the recent lawsuit naming the county, filed by former inmate Charles "Chucky" Mason. He described the litigation as "frivolous, with lies and is a bunch of bull." A former jail nurse has been indicted on drug charges, and Sheriff Fontes says the new nurse seems to be doing a good job.
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