High Point jail in
text and pictures
Greensboro jail
in
text and pictures
Updated October 12, 2006
| Forsyth County Jail |
| Members of the Jail/Incarceration committee visited the
Forsyth County Jail in April. The ten story double towered
facility was built in 1995 on land donated by RJR. In 1990,
inmates of the jail sued the county over the jail conditions at
that time. The rated capacity of the jail is 1016. The day we
toured the occupancy was 832. Security was strict; we had to show our drivers licenses to get in, we had to put purses, keys, and cameras in a locker. We could take notes. Sgt Joyce spent about three hours with us showing us the jail from intake to recreation areas. The intake area is located at a separate entrance to the jail where a magistrate’s office is located. A police car can drive right in, but once an inmate is charged, he or she and the officers can move directly into the main facility in a secure enclosed fashion. 90% of the inmates are brought in by the Winston-Salem Police Department. Joyce thinks some are brought in when they just need a citation or warning. Major causes bringing people to jail: breaking and entry, as a result of drugs. Colored overalls and sandals are assigned to inmates (green for 16-17 year olds, orange for inmates with disciplinary problems, dark blue for the general population and white for inmates who work in the kitchens or laundry.) Health screens are given to check for communicable diseases such as hepatitis, HIV virus, TB or mumps. Showers are required of each inmate prior to them being locked up. New inmates are held in detention until the TB test is completed with 23 hours in the cell and one hour out. The facility can house up to 100 females on a separate floor. 82 females were in jail the day we were there. Inmates are balanced in areas so that no one area houses all the young or all the Hispanics. However, violent inmates are separated from the non-violent. Cells ring an open area which is used for exercise/free time out of lock down. Each cell accommodates two tenants. The cells have gray cinder block walls and dark blue steel doors providing the inmates with privacy. Each cell has a small narrow elevated window, a porcelain sink and a porcelain commode. People are allowed to shower twice a week and change their overalls twice a week. Shaving is allowed five days a week. The open areas have television, basketball, checkers, chess, books to read, etc. Lock down is from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, then open time until 3:30 pm then lock down to 5:30 pm then open time until 11:00 pm. The walls and doors of the common areas are re-enforced glass. The open areas are furnished with gray resin chairs. The gray tables are affixed to the gray tiled floors. One deputy attends all the inmates in an open area. The ratio is one officer per 65-66 inmates. Various options are available for inmates including drug and alcohol services, GED, ESOL, parenting classes and Bible study. Most inmates are awaiting trial. Inmates may spend $50 a week in the commissary. Each is given a handbook. Indigent inmates are provided with necessary items for cleanliness. Attorneys have decent rooms in which to meet with clients and visitors also enjoy pleasant spaces. Sgt Joyce told us that jails are big money makers. Cell space can be rented for housing federal prisons and for housing persons picked up on illegal immigration charges. Sgt. Joyce:"We do things right." |