Grand Juror Finds County Jail "Nasty"; Praises Efforts At Mental Health And Drug Courts

A member of the Concurrent Grand Jury said in a final report that he/she found the county jail "nasty" and is surprised there have not been more prisoner disturbances.

The grand juror praised moves by county officials to set up mental health and drug courts.

The grand juror wrote: "Hamilton County sorely needs a new jail. There is no outside space available for prisoners to exercise or just be outdoors. The inside space is smelly and,frankly, nasty. How the administrators supervise prisoners on six different floors puzzles me. I am surprised there haven't been more disturbances in the jail beyond the recent arson. Increase the publicity about the mental health and the drug courts. They are forward-thinking and making a real contribution to those who need the help and, ultimately, to our community."

Here is the full report of the panel headed by Hugh Moore:

Report of the Hamilton County Concurrent Grand Jury September - December term, 2019

In compliance with Rule 6(e)(7), Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Hamilton County Concurrent Grand Jury for the September - December term, 2019, submits its report, as follows:

Cases Presented:

During the term, 818 cases were presented to the Concurrent Grand Jury. The Grand Jury returned 631 true bills, 87 Presentments, and 100 no bills.

Presentations from Judges:

Six Hamilton County Judges took time out of their busy calendars to meet with and take questions from the Jury (Judges Greenholtz, McVeigh, Poole, Starnes (twice), Statom, and Steelman). The judges' presentations were universally well received and appreciated by the Jury. Most Grand Jurors have no prior experience or familiarity with the criminal justice system. The talks enabled the Jurors to understand where their work fits in the system, and how vital their role is as impartial citizen gatekeepers to the Criminal Courts.

Respect for law enforcement:

During their four-month term of service the jurors hear from scores of local law enforcement officers, from not only the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office and the Chattanooga Police Department, but also from each of the suburban municipal departments, probation, Chattanooga Housing Authority police, Tennessee State Troopers, and others. The Jurors gain reinforced or new respect for these valuable civic servants who each day stand between the average citizen (e.g., the Jurors) and the often unseen world of criminal activity occurring around them. Each of these officers is to be commended for their dedication, hard work, and skill.

Silverdale Detention Center (CoreCivic):

The Jury toured the Silverdale Detention Center on October 14, 2019. The tour was conducted by the chief Hamilton County Sheriffs Office supervisor at the Center, and by the Core Civic Warden and his staff. The Jury visited the entire facility, including the intake area, men's and women's detention units, and dining facilities. The Jury learned how inmates are provided work opportunities in the facility, including the kitchen, and meal service. The Center seems well­ maintained and did not give the Jury the appearance of being overcrowded.

The Jury was impressed with the professionalism of the staff, and the evident effort by the Warden and others to maintain an appropriate rapport with those confined there. Several jurors had questions about classes or other opportunities available for prisoners. They learned that such activities are available (art and yoga, for example), but because of the brief time of average confinement at the facility, such activities are naturally limited. Personnel discussed with the Jury the ongoing problem with the introduction of contraband into the facility, and the need for a new facility.

Hamilton County Juvenile Court:

The Jury toured the Hamilton County Juvenile Court facilities on October I 4, 2019. Judge Rob Philyaw explained the operations of his Court and answered questions. The jury learned the broad reach of the Juvenile Court, and the difficult decisions that must be made. The Jury visited a courtroom, male and female detention units, a classroom, and dining facilities. Judge Philyaw and his staffs interest in and passion for the difficult work of this Court was evident. The facilities are well-maintained and appear to be securely staffed. It is difficult to imagine the recent problems experienced in another juvenile detention facility in this state occurring here. This facility appears to be secure, and the Hamilton County employees working there are well-trained and diligent. There is no overcrowding. School classes are available for the juveniles confined here. The Jury was particularly impressed by the dining facilities and the two employees who prepare the daily menus. It was difficult for the Jurors to hear about juvenile offenders who have perhaps their most nutritious meals while confined in the juvenile detention unit.

Hamilton County Jail:

The Jury toured the Hamilton County Jail on October 15, 2019. The tour was conducted by Lt. John Hargis, chief of security operations. The tour covered all of the Jail's six floors, including maximum and minimum security detention units, intake facilities, chapel, and medical unit. Each of the officers staffing the Jail is due substantial praise for their diligent and professional work in securing and maintaining this outdated and overcrowded facility. The Jury wondered why the County would continue to confine prisoners is such an inefficient building. The Jury would support the any effort to relieve the overcrowding at this outdated facility.

Observations and comments from individual Jurors:

Being on the Grand Jury has been an enlightening experience for me.  I was impressed with the way our officers do their jobs, also with getting to tour the jail, Silverdale and the juvenile facilities. I would  like to say thank  you  for  lunch  and the tours. I think we definitely need a new jail as soon as possible. The one thing I would suggest is some kind of program for juveniles, maybe a Scared Straight program or something similar.

**

It has been an honor to serve on the Grand  Jury. A real learning  experience  and  an opportunity to learn about the Judicial System in Hamilton  County and  the City  of Chattanooga. I have always had a respect for  police officers and  the work  they do. Now I have a greater respect and admiration for their dedication  to duty.  The City and County really need to find a way to increase their budget to provide pay raises for all officers. The talks from the judges were very informative and I could tell by listening to them that they were passionate about what they do. I thank everyone for the work they do.

** 

Suggestions:

 Please tell jurors on their first day the hours of the parking garage exits and especially which one to use in the afternoon. In addition to the current information sheet for jurors, it would be helpful to hand out materials outlining blood alcohol levels for drunk drivers and an explanation of how and where the grand jury fits into the criminal justice process. It would also be helpful to know how the types of courts differ. What types of cases do they handle?

All the above information could be placed in a Manual for Grand Jurors, two copies of which could be kept in the jury room.

Visits to the various courts, accompanied by the grand jury foreman to explain what jurors are seeing, would be instructive.

Compliments and Thank Yous:

The police officers present thorough reports. They are surprisingly well written, considering the time constraints on the officers. Talks by the various judges were enlightening and enhanced the feeling of respect given to the grand jurors-a feeling first established by the foreman.

Thank you for the free parking!

Thank you for the tours of the jail, Silverdale workhouse, and the juvenile detention center.

Thank you for the lunch at Wally's that helped build a sense of community.

Thank you for the experience of serving as a grand juror. Although it was my civic responsibility, I received an unexpected and meaningful education in our court system. I am impressed with how smoothly it runs, how professional the officers and administrators are, and how thoughtful and caring the judges appear.

Recommendations:

It was sad to learn how many children are hungry much of the time. No wonder they behave angrily. Other than free breakfasts and lunches at schools, is there another way the community can provide food for children in need?

Hamilton County sorely needs a new jail. There is no outside space available for prisoners to exercise or just be outdoors. The inside space is smelly and,frankly, nasty. How the administrators supervise prisoners on six different floors puzzles me. I am surprised there haven't been more disturbances in the jail beyond the recent arson. Increase the publicity about the mental health and the drug courts. They are forward-thinking and making a real contribution to those who need the help and, ultimately, to our community.

**

This is my first experience with jury duty and I came into it not knowing what to expect. I have been very enlightened  by my experience thus far.  The first thing that I noticed is that we are expected to be on time every session and we often found ourselves sitting in the room with nothing to do.  It would be nice if there was some sort of sign-up sheet for the officers/witnesses to use. That way jurors and the foreman would know how many cases would be available daily and could pace the jurors to ensure the work load is evenly distributed. Another thing that I noticed is that jurors should be prepped on the terminology prior to hearing cases.

I do not watch any news or read the newspaper and Iwas not familiar with some of the terms that the police officers used when presenting their cases. I think selection day would be a great time to go over topics or terms that we may hear during our tenure on the jury.

It is very sad to hear of all of the things that go on in our city daily. This experience scared me with all of the details but helped me understand that 1 do need to be more aware and more informed of what is going on around me. 1 was very pleased to hear about mental health and drug courts. Those seem to be major issues in our city currently and it is great to know that people do care about those issues and that things are being done to address issues in some capacity.

The tour of our jail facilities was a very eye opening experience. Silverdale was in excellent shape and was spotless during our visit. The pod style layout was unexpected but it seems to fit the culture of the facility. The workers seemed to be engaged and good at their jobs. The downtown facility was horrible. it was in desperate need of attention. I did not feel safe while touring and some of the inmates seem to have their run of the place.

I enjoyed most of the guests that we heard. They were very professional, friendly and willing to share information with us. It was hard to have detailed discussions in 30 minutes and that was the only problem that I saw with the visitors.

Mr. Hugh Moore and Mr. Bill West were great resources during my tenure. They were very professional and were a tremendous help in providing guidance and explanations as needed. It has been a pleasure to serve on this grand jury.

* * *

What has impressed me the most about my time serving on the Grand Jury, are the very dedicated and capable men and women of the various police departments who have brought cases before us. To, even in stressful situations, they all seem to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrated a high level of integrity and efficiency, as well as compassion for the people they serve. I have no idea how much Police Officers make, but I would hope that the city and county pays these men and women an equitable salary for the jobs they do to protect us every day.