Nearly 300 inmates sleeping in overflow areas as Mecklenburg jail exceeds capacity.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ The Mecklenburg County Sheriffโs Office says it plans to reopen Jail North later this summer as overcrowding inside the countyโs main detention center reaches what Sheriff Garry McFadden calls crisis levels.
According to the sheriffโs office, the Mecklenburg County Detention Center Central is currently housing more than 2,000 inmates far above its designed capacity of 1,791.
โWe are in a crisis at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center,โ McFadden said during an interview with WCNC Charlotte. โIt is beyond anything we have seen or I have seen.โ
The sheriffโs 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 โstack-a-bunkโ arrangements because of limited space.
McFadden said several factors are contributing to the overcrowding, including the passage of Irynaโs 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.
โWe are still housing 60 people who have already been convicted, who should be inside a prison, but they canโt because of their staffing level at the state level,โ 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.
โAs we move into the summer months when crime tends to increase reopening Detention Center North is a necessary step,โ McFadden said in a statement released Tuesday.
The sheriffโs 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.
โThe building is ready to be occupied,โ McFadden said. โAir conditioning is on, water on, light is on.โ
The sheriffโs 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.
โWe are going to have an aggressive campaign for recruiting,โ McFadden said.
However, the plan is raising concerns among child advocacy groups.
Frank Crawford, advocacy director for the Childrenโs Alliance, said discussions are already underway between the sheriffโs office and state officials to reopen Jail North for juvenile offenders.
โThe new law is impacting the adult population in his detention center, and we are very sensitive to that,โ Crawford said. โIf he does that, weโre not going to be able to put kids in that building.โ
Crawford said his organization has concerns if the county plans to use the main juvenile detention building for adult inmates.
โI know that on that property up there, thereโs more than one facility,โ Crawford said. โIf heโs talking about using that permanent tent-type facility up there for adults, thatโs up to him. If heโs talking about using the brick building for juveniles, then the Childrenโs Alliance has significant concern.โ
The sheriffโs 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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