Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Cocke Corrections Partnership and grand jury
The Cocke County Corrections Partnership Committee meeting Monday heard from Architect Jay Henderlight regarding the appropriate acreage required for a jail or a justice center. He suggested the site should have 18 to 25 acres, be relatively flat, be at least one foot above the 100 year flood plain, with good access to major roadways. Utilities should be available, but without sink holes, excessive rock, or environmental cleanup requirements. It must be at least 500 feet from a residential neighborhood, and it must be within the Newport city limits if it is a justice center. Mayor Crystal Ottinger suggested the needs and costs should first be determined and then a decision made on whether or not to build. "Jim thought there might be some steps we might want to take before we jump too far, because we might need less land or we might need more depending on what it is you want to do," she told the committee. Because staffing is expensive in the long term, Henderlight said many counties now are relying more on video surveillance in new jails, to reduce the cost of direct supervision. He added that a decision on the size of the jail or justice center should be made first, "and then decide what you can afford to build." The architect also suggested that the county find a reputable realtor to assist in land acquisition. He reviewed the site plan for the new Monroe County Justice Center which will house 350 inmates and have a price tag of $30 million, as an example of a possible justice center. According to Henderlight, because it is a distressed county, Cocke County may qualify for a USDA loan at less than two percent interest. Earlier on Monday, for the second time in two months, a Cocke County Grand Jury issued a report calling for an upgraded jail. The report signed by Foreman David Hill, says a number of county employees and jail inmates were interviewed as part of the investigation. It says continuous overcrowded conditions were found at both jails, the women's facility on the third floor of the courthouse, and the men's location in the courthouse annex. The report finds the women's facility has a higher risk of fire than does the annex jail, however "both create an unsafe condition for the inmates and employees." And the panel says the overcrowding impacts the "safety and comfortability" that should be expected of minimum jail standards. The report goes on to say the taxpayers of the county face a dilemma; either the Cocke County Legislative Body takes a pro-active effort to address the certification issue or lose certification and allow the federal courts to find a solution that rectifies the situation. The grand jury says the state is currently completing it's re-certification inspection, and has previously issued several findings with regard to the safety of the jails due to their deteriorated condition. Members of the panel go on to say the jail populations are on the rise due to "the apparent drug addiction and drug addiction related crime, processed into the penal system." The report found that this year alone the jails have processed a total of 2,475 inmates, and by year's end the bookings are expected to total 4,700. It says the limited number of bathroom facilities result in "inmates being violated continuously." The panel suggests that local taxpayers ask to be given a tour of the jails for a first hand understanding of the situation. "We can not express enough the urgency of solutions regarding the jails of Cocke County. It is the right thing to do," the report says, and it adds, "We are all one mistake away from being a guest in the Cocke County Jail System."


Return to Today's News Stories - Front Page

Thursday, April 29, 2021

  • US 411 Project News
  • Mill Creek Wildfire Update
  • More Bad News For Smokies' Fans

    Wednesday, April 28, 2021

  • Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
  • Goodbye Smokies?
  • Keep Cocke County Beautiful
  • Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!

    Tuesday, April 27, 2021

  • The fireflies are coming!
  • Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
  • Gas prices drop
  • Tennessee keeps all US House seats

    Monday, April 26, 2021

  • Boat accident victim ID'd
  • Traffic stop yields drug arrest
  • Cocke County Wildfires

    Friday, April 23, 2021

  • Leaving WNPC
  • Mathis announces candidacy
  • Newport drug roundup
  • Cruise Against Cancer
  • Jobless numbers