News

Sullivan County commissioners tour the jail

By GLYNIS HART
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UNITY — Part old-style jail, part modern ‘community corrections’ facility, the Sullivan County House of Corrections (HOC) houses 50-70 people on a typical day. Twice a year, the county commissioners tour the jail just to make sure there’s nothing amiss. 

“It’s kind of a formality,” said Commissioner Ben Nelson, who was walking through the HOC with Commissioner Jeff Barrette, Sullivan County Delegate Brian Sullivan, and a few county workers. “These guys keep us pretty well-informed.” 

The lower part of the building, built in 1978, contains two-bunk cells and sliding panels of bars that are familiar to many from the movies. Adjacent to that block are larger rooms with seven narrow metal bunks each. Down the hall a series of doors leads to the rec yard. 

The upper part of the building was added in 2010. 

“When this was built we had a very well-known, very well-paid consultant who told us we’d be at 150 [inmates] by now,” said Nelson. 

“We’d be beyond capacity,” said Barrette. 

That obviously didn’t happen. While many of the inmates are out on work release, some are sleeping and some are just hanging around, but it doesn’t look crowded. The women’s wing has 12 beds in it, 7 of which are occupied right now. 

Superintendent of Corrections Dave Barry said although some jails make money by boarding other county’s inmates, “We don’t unless we’re begging for labor.” 

The inmates keep the HOC clean and also run the laundry, which takes care of both the HOC and the county nursing home. Going in the other direction, meals are prepared in the county nursing home kitchens and sent over in chaffing dishes, which are kept warm. “The food is the same as for the residents of the nursing home, so they get the same quality,” said Barry. 

Upstairs, the community corrections areas are locked but not as restrictive as the old jail. There’s more light and just more stuff in the living areas: a microwave, coffee pot, water jug, balls and exercise equipment as well as personal items belonging to the inmates. 

Different inmates have different levels of supervision. Barry explains the hope is that they can see a difference in their living situation as they move up in the program. While not all inmates are eligible for the TRAILS program, which combines substance-abuse therapy with living skills and education in order to prepare them to make a go of it in the outside world, less restriction and more dignity provide incentives for good behavior. 

The two low-restriction recreational yards, one for men and one for women, are fenced in but “if you really wanted to, you could get out,” said Capt. Brookens, who was leading the HOC tour. 

However, the idea is that inmates will finish their sentence and come out better prepared to not come back. 

The HOC mission statement: “Our mission is to execute the court orders while providing the highest level of safety and security for our community, staff, and offenders. To provide a humane environment that promotes personal growth and rehabilitation for the offender to reduce recidivism. Consistently striving to have a strong sense of duty and promote integrity, respect, loyalty, and teamwork in our daily actions setting a positive example for others to follow.

To conduct ourselves in a professional manner and treat all offenders with respect, offering them the opportunity to better themselves through programming, education and counseling. Encouraging and empowering them to take responsibility for their actions.” 

“If it turns out they have a mental illness or that issue,” said Barry, “We have four clinicians to help with treatment.”

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