County Jail Issue Confronts Voters At August Balloting

Back to Timeline
  • July 25, 1954
  • Kingsport Times-News
  • 9
  • Paul Williams

County Jail Issue Confronts Voters At August Balloting

“Deplorable”… “shocking” … “unfit for human habitation.”

“Filthy bed clothes… prisoners infested with vermin… inadequate sanitary facilities… inadequate ventilation.”

“…It must be seen to be believed.”

These are strong words, and they weren’t used to describe the black hole of Calcutta, a nineteenth century London debtor’s prison, or a concentration camp. They are terms used by responsible citizens on a grand jury talking about that twentieth century penal institution, the Sullivan County Jail at Blountville.

Condemned Building

For twenty years Sullivan County grand juries have regularly lambasted and condemned the ancient brick building. For twenty years Sullivan County has sagely nodded its head in agreement and then forgotten about it.

But Thursday, August 5, the people of the county will have a chance to take action on the question, if they want to. One of the questions to be voted on at the general election will be whether or not the citizens would approve a $200,000 bond issue to build a new jail.

Just what has all the shouting} been about? What kind of a place is this that has been described so harshly?

Almost Picturesque

It is a two-story brick building constructed some time before 1900 back of the present site of the county courthouse. Outwardly, with its walls -neatly painted white with green trim, the jail is almost picturesque.

Inside it’s a different story.

Back when it was built and the prisoner population averaged maybe 10 persons, it was probably the last word.

Today, decades later, with the prisoner load ranging from 40 to 65 persons near court sessions, the interior has become overcrowded, badly ventilated, unsanitary, and so antiquated that it doesn’t even do a good job of its primary purpose — keeping the inmates in.

Jail Breaks Frequent

Jail breaks, though down recently, have been fairly frequent. And two prisoners who escaped in 1953 were able to make a big hole in the wall by digging out the mortar between the bricks with rusty nails and spoons.

Plumbing is primitive, toilet facilities don’t begin to meet the needs, and bath and shower facilities are all but non-existent.

There aren’t enough cells to properly separate the dangerous, the diseased, or the otherwise special prisoners.

One prisoner told a grand jury in 1951 that, though suffering from an advanced case of tuberculosis, he could receive no treatment. A pregnant woman prisoner told the jurors that the food she got wasn’t enough to nourish her unborn child.

This is the place where Sullivan County sends those deemed to have wronged society, in the hope of rehabilitating them and turning their feet toward the paths of righteousness. Into this same atmosphere are thrust also youthful first offenders, and persons who lack money to make bond before they come to trial, their only proven crime being poverty.

Make Criminals

“This Jury feels that we in Sullivan County are contributing to the making of criminals rather than to their correction by forcibly detaining them under shocking conditions,” stated the same grand jury, headed by Martin Karant of Radio Station WKPT in Kingsport, which so eloquently lashed the jail in the words quoted earlier.

Following the recommendation by the grand jury for March of this year for a referendum the County Court laid the decision at the people’s door by calling for a vote on the proposition.

A visiting construction expert told them a modern, two-story jail with a 100-bunk capacity could be built for $175,000 to $200,000.

As far as the magistrates are concerned, it’s up to the people now.

County Jail Issue Confronts Voters At August Balloting Paul Williams “Deplorable”... “shocking” ... “unfit for human habitation.” “Filthy bed clothes... prisoners infested with vermin... inadequate sanitary facilities... inadequate ventilation.” "...It must be seen to be believed.” These are strong words, and they weren’t used to describe the black hole of Calcutta, a nineteenth century London debtor’s prison, or a concentration camp. They are terms used by responsible citizens on a grand jury talking about that twentieth century penal institution, the Sullivan County Jail at Blountville. Condemned Building For twenty years Sullivan County grand juries have regularly lambasted and condemned the ancient brick building. For twenty years Sullivan County has sagely nodded its head in agreement and then forgotten about it. But Thursday, August 5, the people of the county will have a chance to take action on the question, if they want to. One of the questions to be voted on at the general election will be whether or not the citizens would approve a $200,000 bond issue to build a new jail. Just what has all the shouting} been about? What kind of a place is this that has been described so harshly? Almost Picturesque It is a two-story brick building constructed some time before 1900 back of the present site of the county courthouse. Outwardly, with its walls -neatly painted white with green trim, the jail is almost picturesque. Inside it’s a different story. Back when it was built and the prisoner population averaged maybe 10 persons, it was probably the last word. Today, decades later, with the prisoner load ranging from 40 to 65 persons near court sessions, the interior has become overcrowded, badly ventilated, unsanitary, and so antiquated that it doesn’t even do a good job of its primary purpose — keeping the inmates in. Jail Breaks Frequent Jail breaks, though down recently, have been fairly frequent. And two prisoners who escaped in 1953 were able to make a big hole in the wall by digging out the mortar between the bricks with rusty nails and spoons. Plumbing is primitive, toilet facilities don’t begin to meet the needs, and bath and shower facilities are all but non-existent. There aren't enough cells to properly separate the dangerous, the diseased, or the otherwise special prisoners. One prisoner told a grand jury in 1951 that, though suffering from an advanced case of tuberculosis, he could receive no treatment. A pregnant woman prisoner told the jurors that the food she got wasn’t enough to nourish her unborn child. This is the place where Sullivan County sends those deemed to have wronged society, in the hope of rehabilitating them and turning their feet toward the paths of righteousness. Into this same atmosphere are thrust also youthful first offenders, and persons who lack money to make bond before they come to trial, their only proven crime being poverty. Make Criminals “This Jury feels that we in Sullivan County are contributing to the making of criminals rather than to their correction by forcibly detaining them under shocking conditions,” stated the same grand jury, headed by Martin Karant of Radio Station WKPT in Kingsport, which so eloquently lashed the jail in the words quoted earlier. Following the recommendation by the grand jury for March of this year for a referendum the County Court laid the decision at the people’s door by calling for a vote on the proposition. A visiting construction expert told them a modern, two-story jail with a 100-bunk capacity could be built for $175,000 to $200,000. As far as the magistrates are concerned, it’s up to the people now.
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.