More space for female prisoners needed at county detention center

Cherokee County Interim Administrator Ben Clary said the county might need to create additional space for females housed at the Cherokee County Detention Center.

That action would be in response to a follow up inspection by the Department of Corrections in May that revealed the county failed to correct violations of the Minimum Standards for Local Detention Facilities discovered during an annual inspection.

Many of the violations stem from overcrowding at the women's housing unit, the report said.

An average of 17 females were housed at the facility during a 3-month period prior to the inspection, according to the report - seven more than the allowable capacity.

Overcrowding of the female housing unit led to violations regarding toilets, wash basins, showers, furnishings, dayrooms and dayroom furnishings. For example, DOC standards require each inmate in a cell be furnished with a bed, a desk or approved writing surface, a chair or stool, storage for personal items and an area for clothes storage.

"Overcrowding in the female housing unit creates a violation of this standard," the report said.

Clary said the county may use an existing cell block to alleviate the overcrowding in the female housing unit. The county also could urge magistrates to more quickly dispose of cases to free up more jail space, according to Clary.

Clary said there are no plans to build an addition to the jail.

The DOC requires each local detention center to annually review, update and make available to all personnel its policy and procedures manual.

That's hasn't happened at the Cherokee County Detention Center, according to a report. The county attorney has yet to review the facility's policy and procedures for visitor searches, the report said.

Clary said he plans to meet jail administrator Harold Crocker to review each of the violations.

The county has until Aug. 12 to respond with a plan to correct the violations.

Clary said it's unlikely the county would be fined for the violations.

County officials, including Sheriff Bill Blanton, were notified of the violations in a noncompliance letter last month from Blake E. Taylor, Department of Corrections Division Director for Compliance, Standards and Inspections.