April 1, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Jail and Annex are being recommended for state certification again this year.
Bob Bass, Deputy Director of the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI) shared the news with members of the DeKalb County Commission during an informal meeting Tuesday night at the county complex.
In a letter to Sheriff Patrick Ray on March 23, William Wall, Executive Director of the TCI wrote “The Tennessee Corrections Institute recently inspected/re-inspected the DeKalb County Jail and Annex. The inspection revealed that this facility does not meet all applicable minimum standards. However, the assigned Detention Facility Specialist is recommending that your county corrections partnership’s formal Plan of Action be submitted and approved by the TCI Board of Control at the next meeting scheduled on June 9, 2021 to be held electronically to consider granting certification to this facility. After approval from the Board of Control, you will receive a Certificate”.
Fourteen months ago Bass held his first meeting with a jail committee of the county commission to begin the process of addressing mostly physical plant (building) deficiencies at the jail and annex. Since then the process has largely been put on hold with TCI having been shut down due to COVID-19.
“Its been tough on us (TCI). We just started (inspecting jails) again in March this year because we were locked down. Last year we were locked down in March, April, May and June before we started. We have to inspect 129 jails across the state and if they need to be re-inspected some of those are done twice,” said Bass.
In the fall of 2019, the county entered into a partnership with TCI and the County Technical Advisory Service to develop a plan of action to show measurable progress in rectifying deficiencies to keep the jail and annex certified.
Although no measurable progress has to be shown this year to maintain jail certification due to continuing COVID 19 concerns, Bass said the problems will eventually have to be solved.
““We just inspected your jail and rest assured you will be certified this year. We are going to continue your plan of action and you don’t have to show measurable progress this year,” said Bass.
“The particular standards you are in trouble with are physical plant. How the jail was built. It has nothing to do with what the sheriff’s department has done or the staff when it comes to operation. In fact its one of the cleanest jails I have been in. Even the part you shouldn’t be operating (the oldest building) is clean and well organized. You are not overcrowded. You just don’t meet TCI standards in some areas,” he said.
The oldest building, which has been in operation since 1959 and houses prisoners in its basement, poses perhaps the greatest concern.
“That basement has no natural light. You must have skylight. Windows that produce natural light. You must have an 8 foot ceiling height. Your basement ceiling is 7 feet, 6 inches. Its not sprinkled. Sprinklers are not part of our standards unless you are building a new facility but old facilities like yours are not grandfathered in and you have a cage down there which serves as a makeshift cell for trustees with a 12 inch gap on top of it. That is unauthorized housing. An inmate could come over that gap and have access to appliances, water heater, chemicals, etc,” said Bass.
The basement cells each have 10 beds but the square footage only exists for six inmates and while the cells have porcelain sinks and toilets the state requires they be stainless steel. The cells also have no floor drains and conduit is exposed.
Cells for females in another part of the jail have similar issues.
As for the jail annex, which has been in operation since 2001, there are 46 beds with adequate space for only 32 inmates.
According to Bass new and existing facilities must have at least a minimum size multiple-occupancy cell for 2-64 occupants with twenty-five (25) square feet of clear floor space for each occupant in the sleeping areas, and a ceiling elevation of not less than eight (8) feet. At least thirty-five (35) square feet of clear floor space must be provided for each occupant when the occupant is confined for more than ten (10) hours per day.
Bass suggested that the county authorize a needs assessment study as the next step in the process of bringing the jail and annex up to standards.
“We have identified what our problems are and must now figure out a way to come up with a solution. You don’t have to be in a hurry. We’re here to help and we will get you through this. My suggestion is to reconvene and start strategizing about what options you have. You can’t do anything about the basement in the old jail building. You will have to come out of that basement. It could be used for storage but not for housing inmates. A needs assessment needs to be performed. Take a look at your growth and see how many beds you need. We want to help you fix the problems but until we get them fixed I am going to fight to keep you certified. That’s my job. I will go in front of the board and plead your case,” said Bass.