NASHVILLE, TN — Rutherford County is not the only area in need of a new jail. Apparently, prisons across the State of Tennessee are also increasing their inmate population, some at a higher rate than the county. This rise in the incarcerated population is not only concerning to local and state leaders, but also costly for taxpayers... State Representative Mike Sparks (R-Smyrna) has highlighted the growing financial and logistical strain caused by prison overcrowding in Tennessee, suggesting that the state may soon be forced to invest hundreds of millions in new facilities.

Following recent budget hearings, Sparks expressed concern and irritation over the lack of concrete estimates on what it will cost Tennessee taxpayers to build a new state prison. The representative told WGNS he looked to Frank Strada, the Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner, for answers to the mathematical question... Nationwide, the average cost per square foot to build a new prison sits between $586 to $610, which is a figure that does not include the price of land or architect to design the building. If the state decides to build a 200-thousand square foot structure to house 600 to 800 inmates, it would cost the state over $122-million, according to a past article from by RSMeans Data (RSMeans.com). But that cost skyrockets even higher when you figure in the price of land, prison design and 1,200 to 1,500 beds, as opposed to a facility that can only house 600 to 800 inmates. 

The discussion comes as local facilities, including the Rutherford County Jail, face significant overcrowding. Sparks referenced estimates from Mayor Joe Carr, who told WGNS that a new jail or a major jail expansion in Rutherford County will be required within the next 5-years, which is expected to cost between $300 and $400-million. Mayor Carr told WGNS in a past interview that Rutherford County needs a jail that is made to hold at least 1,000 inmates, as the current facility remains overcrowded on an ongoing basis.

The Adult Detention Center on the New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro is built to house 956 beds. Currently, the structure houses male and female inmates awaiting upcoming hearings, trials and sentencing. Some of the inmates housed at the jail have already been convicted and are awaiting transfer to a state prison. The number of the actual inmates in the facility changes from day-to-day with arrests, jail-to-prison transfers and more.

Sparks said that he has already spoken to Representative William Lamberth about inmate housing... Lamberth is on the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the Joint Judiciary and Government Committee.

Sparks argued that the current trajectory of incarceration is not sustainable and requires a multifaceted approach including mental health and addiction support...

Right now, the Tennessee Department of Correction operates 10 state prisons and oversees 4 private prisons with a population of over 24-thousand inmates.

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