State of Tennessee Tags Hamilton County Jail Again

CHATTANOOGA, TN. (WDEF-TV) – The Hamilton county jail was built in the 1970’s and its showing its age.
For the second time in a year it’s failed a state inspection, and launched a new discussion about how long it will take to deal with that nagging issue.

There are lots of multi-story buildings in downtown Chattanooga older than this one.
But they don’t have to house hundreds of inmates in cells and provide safety and security for all.

ALLEN BRANUM, CHIEF DEPUTY, HCSO "We have on the average of 500 to 550 inmates every day here housed in the Hamilton county jail…most are pre-trial …the Silverdale workhouse facility also houses about 300 people on a average basis that should be housed in the Hamilton county pre-trial. "

It’s not likely that will happen anytime soon with an estimated cost of 90-100 million dollars for a replacement.
Instead, the county will stay on the state’s deficiency list.

ALLEN BRANUM, CHIEF DEPUTY "This is a routine inspection that they do I think usually yearly, and they always find some type of deficiency …you know its either procedural or some things changing..its always minor. But the problem we’ve always had with the overcrowding and under-staffing ..it is consistent."

Hamilton county Sheriff Jim Hammond, who’s out of the city this week, has urged county leaders to replace the building–or at least provide the 50 or so extra officers recommended by the state.

ALLEN BRANUM "We’re getting to the point now that we’re going to have to do something about the jail. This not anything new..we’ve always known..they’ve known it..we’ve put together plans and kind of brought it to everybody’s attention."

The county commission and mayor have formed a study group to come up with a plan.
So far, there’s no consensus on where to start.

Most of the inmates in county jail are serving short sentences or waiting for a court appearance.