Editor’s note: These are Sheriff Chris Amason’s full written answers to the Frontier’s questions about conditions at the Cleveland County Detention Center. The sheriff responded after reports of poor conditions at the jail, including detainees being denied clean clothing, toilet paper and medical care. The Cleveland County Commissioners hired the company SIMCO Correctional Consulting last year to investigate the causes of deaths at the jail.
Q: What is the jail doing to give inmates access to in-person visits with their attorneys? District Court Judge Michael Tupper wrote to the Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 13 to report complaints about the lack of adequate access to the jail for attorneys, including one lawyer who waited more than 3 hours to see his clients and left before meeting with any of them. Judge Thad Balkman also wrote an email echoing Tupper’s concerns.
A: Attorneys can schedule visits with inmates via email. A designated team of Detention Deputies and Officers facilitates these visits. The complaint referenced an unscheduled Sunday visit when no receptionist was on duty. The specific attorney and date of the visit could not be verified.
Q: How much is the fee prisoners have to pay to see a health care provider at the jail? Is the fee waived for inmates who are indigent?
A: The fee to see a provider is $15 but is waived for indigent inmates. CCDC contracts with [TK Health, formerly Turn Key Health Clinics] and inmates requiring care beyond [TK Health’s] capabilities are sent to [the] hospital.
Q: Do inmates at the jail have access to toilet paper and other hygiene products?
Inmates have continuous access to hygiene products, including toilet paper. They can request items from detention staff, through kiosks, or via intercom. Complaints of unavailability are unfounded, though some inmates misuse or hoard supplies.
Q: Do inmates get regular changes of clothing?
A: Inmates receive weekly uniform exchanges, managed by a dedicated team. Logs of these exchanges were provided to Health Department inspectors during their February inspection.
Q: Do inmates get regular changes of clothing?
A: CCDC’s laundry equipment is aging. Both washers are currently operational, while two of three dryers are out of service. Upgrades are needed for several critical pieces of equipment.
Q: Does the jail have functioning cell doors?
A: Some interior cell doors are damaged and do not fully secure. A renovation project is underway to repair them. For security reasons, specific details cannot be disclosed.
Q: What is the jail doing to ensure inmates have access to cleaning products?
A: Inmates receive cleaning supplies daily and are responsible for cleaning their areas. They are not provided rags. A cost-effective cleaning solution was proposed but removed from the agenda. Some inmates refuse to clean or misuse cleaning products, requiring frequent replacements.
Q: Does the jail have adequate staffing? A February inspection report cited the jail for missing sight checks.
A: Staffing levels are adequate to maintain safety and security. Sight checks occur at intervals of 15, 30, or 60 minutes, depending on inmate needs. Temporary Wi-Fi and network failures earlier this year affected digital records, but checks were logged manually. Ensuring timely sight checks remains a priority.
Q: What is the status of the County’s investigation through SIMCO Correctional Consulting? Has the Sheriff’s Office been providing information for the audit?
A: The Sheriff’s Office has fully cooperated with SIMCO Correctional Consulting and provided all requested information. SIMCO’s president has conducted two inspections, escorted separately by [Cleveland] Commissioner Rusty Grissom and Rod Cleveland.
