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Written by Tim Gobble, Sheriff
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Thursday, 01 October 2009 |
Capt. Gabe Thomas oversees the BCSO Corrections Division. The Bradley County jail ~ certified by the state of Tennessee ~ is a big operation designed to house 408-plus federal, state and local inmates in “direct supervision” pods, several indirect supervision pods and four dormitories. The jail operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.
For those who may not be familiar with “direct supervision,” it is a system whereby a corrections deputy is stationed inside the pod with the prisoners. This allows the deputy to observe inmate behavior and morale firsthand. Studies have shown this method to be beneficial in identifying and dealing with potential trouble areas before problems develop. The direct supervision method was first used in federal penitentiaries and proved so successful in reducing injury to inmates and prison personnel that more and more county jails have adopted this method.
Correction deputies ensure that every inmate is treated fairly and humanely in a secure environment, as the sentences of the court are carried out. These Corrections deputies receive 40 hours of initial training as required by the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI). The BCSO Corrections Academy training covers professional ethics, gang identification, civil liability, inmate transport, disturbance control, conversational Spanish and other related issues. The five week program is designed around the direct supervision philosophy of behavior management.
The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office generates approximately $4.2 million a year from various sources of revenue, including reimbursements for housing state and federal inmates, the inmate phone system (Evercom), the Sex Offender Registry, commissary, data processing and fees to the Sheriff’s Office (booking fees, fees from serving warrants, fees collected through the Circuit Court clerks, etc.). Bradley County receives $35 a day for housing state inmates and $49.60 a day for federal. This money, and any other revenue, goes into the county’s General Fund to help off-set operational expenses. This translates as savings to the taxpayer.
Another way the jail saves taxpayer money is through the Inmate Work Program, which we expanded in 2007. Low-risk inmates have picked up literally tons of trash from county roadways, school grounds and nonprofit properties. They clean and paint the hallways at the jail and other facilities, including the Tri-State Exhibition Center and the County Road Department; help with mowing and grounds maintenance; work at the BCSO garage, helping to repair, refurbish and maintain our fleet; and work the inmate garden, which supplies fresh vegetables for their own consumption. I am grateful for their assistance and I know how much the public supports this type of inmate work program.
We also have active jail ministries that meet regularly with inmates. We welcome churches and church-related programs in our community who want to hold voluntary Bible studies in the jail. The jail ministry is very successful and hopefully will help reduce recidivism in the long term.
There is also a transport unit which operates within the Corrections Division. The transport unit carries federal, state and county inmates to and from court appearances, medical appointments, mental hospitals and prison, as well as pick-up those arrested in other states on warrants from Bradley County.
Inmate medical care is handled by Quality Correctional Health Care (QCHC). I appreciate the work of the Bradley County Commission in researching and contracting QCHC. The BCSO food contractor, ABL Management, operates within the complex in a modern, commercial grade kitchen and provides all inmates three meals a day that meet state-mandated nutritional standards.
But don’t be enticed by free food. Jail is the last place you want to be. We do not tolerate crime in Bradley County. It is unacceptable on every level and if someone chooses to break the law, the odds are good they will be caught and they will be booked into a jail cell for however long the court so orders. They will lose their freedom and, in some cases, they will lose certain citizen rights upon their release. Additionally, running afoul of the law results in substantial financial consequences, including legal fees, court costs, and other expenses related to incarceration. When it comes to the safety and security of law abiding citizens, there is no contest ~ when it comes to us, criminals will lose every time.
The men and women of Corrections do a exemplary job in a difficult environment. They are professional, knowledgeable and conscientious, and I thank them all for their good work.
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