Sullivan jail
The Sullivan County grand jury’s latest report highlights the importance of trusties’ work.
Trusties, the grand jury noted, are responsible for the majority of the daily workload at the jail.
Upon arrival that day, members of the grand jury saw trusties preparing to spray down the bedding — a maintenance task that reduces disease and infestation. Trusties, they were told, do everything from this type of general maintenance to daily meal preparations and cleanup and more.
During the tour of the jail annex, the grand jury noted that trusties also maintain an on-site vegetable garden at the jail in the spring and summer and collect trash along the highway.
For each day worked, trusties get one day taken off their jail sentences.
Aside from the trusty issue, the grand jury noted that a trip to the kitchen revealed the 21-year-old dishwasher highlighted for replacement by the last grand jury is still chugging away at the inmates’ dishes. All the other kitchen appliances have been replaced within the past two years.
The building itself, the grand jury said, was also in need of some updates. A larger booking area would be useful, they said.
Slight overcrowding was also noted. Ideally, the main facility and annex can house 643 inmates, the report states.
On Jan. 27, there were 656. The main jail held 440 to 450 of those, and 102 of them were women.
