Nearly 300 inmates sleeping in overflow areas as Mecklenburg jail exceeds capacity.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office says it plans to reopen Jail North later this summer as overcrowding inside the county’s main detention center reaches what Sheriff Garry McFadden calls crisis levels.
According to the sheriff’s office, the Mecklenburg County Detention Center Central is currently housing more than 2,000 inmates far above its designed capacity of 1,791.
“We are in a crisis at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center,” McFadden said during an interview with WCNC Charlotte. “It is beyond anything we have seen or I have seen.”
The sheriff’s office said the inmate population reached 2,084 this week and continues to climb. Officials said about 280 inmates are currently sleeping in overflow areas using temporary “stack-a-bunk” arrangements because of limited space.
McFadden said several factors are contributing to the overcrowding, including the passage of Iryna’s Law, which tightened pretrial release rules and bond reviews for certain violent crimes, resulting in more defendants remaining in jail while awaiting court proceedings.
He also pointed to an ongoing backlog in the state prison system.
“We are still housing 60 people who have already been convicted, who should be inside a prison, but they can’t because of their staffing level at the state level,” McFadden said.
The sheriff also said the jail is dealing with inmates awaiting mental health evaluations to determine whether they are competent to stand trial.
“As we move into the summer months when crime tends to increase reopening Detention Center North is a necessary step,” McFadden said in a statement released Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office now plans to reopen Mecklenburg County Detention Center North, commonly known as Jail North, as early as August.
McFadden said the former juvenile detention facility never fully closed and is already partially being used for administrative offices.
“The building is ready to be occupied,” McFadden said. “Air conditioning is on, water on, light is on.”
The sheriff’s office said reopening the facility will require an aggressive hiring effort. Officials are looking to hire up to 50 detention officers immediately.
Starting salaries for detention officers begin at more than $68,000 annually, with night-shift positions earning additional pay. The agency is also offering a $7,500 sign-on bonus.
“We are going to have an aggressive campaign for recruiting,” McFadden said.
However, the plan is raising concerns among child advocacy groups.
Frank Crawford, advocacy director for the Children’s Alliance, said discussions are already underway between the sheriff’s office and state officials to reopen Jail North for juvenile offenders.
“The new law is impacting the adult population in his detention center, and we are very sensitive to that,” Crawford said. “If he does that, we’re not going to be able to put kids in that building.”
Crawford said his organization has concerns if the county plans to use the main juvenile detention building for adult inmates.
“I know that on that property up there, there’s more than one facility,” Crawford said. “If he’s talking about using that permanent tent-type facility up there for adults, that’s up to him. If he’s talking about using the brick building for juveniles, then the Children’s Alliance has significant concern.”
The sheriff’s office said operational details for reopening Jail North are still being finalized. Officials said the goal is to have the facility operational by early August, depending on staffing levels.
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