Nobody enjoys the experience of spending time in jail. When you are incarcerated, you do not expect to be treated like you are in a fancy hotel. But you also do not expect to be treated poorly or inhumanely. A recent investigation of Mecklenburg County found that the conditions are terrible and even dangerous. According to the report, there have been 18 deaths since 2019 at the detention center. The investigation sheds light on the problem and asks for something to be done to resolve it. The investigation was conducted by local defense attorneys.
Reports of Inhumane Conditions
The jail is often overcrowded, which creates a lot of problems for inmates. There are not enough cells and not enough beds to go around, leaving some inmates having to sleep on the floor. The laundry is not being done quickly enough, so inmates may go for days in dirty clothes until clean items are available.
One of the concerns regarding the detention center is the lack of adequate accommodations for disabled people. A disabled veteran being held in jail was placed in a regular cell and had to sleep on the floor. The only place for disabled people to stay would be in the department disciplinary unit (DDU), which has conditions that are even worse.
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Inmates Wait Too Long
Another concern of the detention center and the system, in general, is that many individuals are held for extensive periods of time only to find out that their case is getting dismissed or they are found not guilty. These people are spending time in terrible conditions when they are not even going to face charges or convictions. Sometimes, defendants spend more time in jail waiting for their hearing or trial than they would spend if they were actually convicted of the crime. A backlogged system means that an inmate might have to wait seven months or more to get to trial, even for minor crimes.
What is Being Done About Conditions?
In a statement, the Sheriff stated that the backlog in the system and congestion at the jail is due in part to an increase in fentanyl crimes as well as mental illnesses. He claims there is no need for additional manpower. While there is no quick solution to the situation, there are some things that can be done, according to the report’s findings. More personnel may actually be needed to handle the everyday needs of inmates.
The jail needs to make changes to provide humane living conditions. The legal system, in general, needs to address the abundance of cases more quickly and do what is necessary to resolve them faster. In some cases, a defendant should be allowed pretrial release even if they are not able to post bail. New bail reform legislation regarding pretrial release was introduced last year and is being considered.
If you have been charged with a crime, you will want to seek legal guidance as soon as possible from a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney. Your lawyer will work to try to reduce or eliminate bail so you will not have to suffer in jail for an extended period of time. Contact our lawyers at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 for assistance with your legal case.
The criminal defense attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC make it their mission to zealously defend their clients on a wide range of criminal matters at both the state and federal levels. These matters may include any charge from traffic offenses; DWI/DUI; drug charges (from simple possession to possession with intent to distribute and trafficking); gun permit denials; weapons offenses; and property crimes (larceny, breaking and entering, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, white collar offenses); to sexually related offenses (indecent exposure; sexual assault, crimes against nature, removal from sex offender registry); and violent crimes (domestic violence; assault; manslaughter; homicide, murder). Other legal issues that Arnold & Smith, PLLC criminal clients may face include restraining orders, restraining order and probation violations, expungements; appeals; and immigration issues related to criminal charges. Our criminal defense attorneys are passionate about ensuring that individuals empower themselves by being informed about their constitutional rights and stand at the ready to fight in defense of those facing criminal charges.
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