While COVID-19 spreads throughout the United States and public officials try to limit the amount of direct contact between individuals, jail inmates have even fewer ways to meet with family and loved ones.
Both Lowndes County Adult Detention Center and Oktibbeha County Jail have suspended all visitations that aren’t online for the next few weeks.
In Lowndes County, where inmates have not been able to meet face-to-face with family members for the last year, that simply means closing down the kiosk in the jail’s front lobby, where loved ones could speak to inmates through a Skype-like program.
It’s a different story in Oktibbeha County, where family members traditionally could come speak with inmates through a glass or meet with them in person, said Sheriff Steve Gladney.
“We’re just trying to limit as much contact with the public as possible,” Gladney said.
It can be particularly hard on trustees, inmates whose charges are typically non-violent or misdemeanor and who do work around county offices, such as maintenance. The trustees have always been able to meet with their families in person, Gladney said.
Still, he said, for now they understand the virus is causing everyone to limit their contact.
“I haven’t had a single complaint from them,” he said.
Both Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins and Chief Deputy Brent Swan declined to comment further on the jail’s new policies, but said in a press release they are also trying to limit contact between inmates and the public as much as possible.
“Public safety and wellness of our community is a top priority,” the release said. “The spread of COVID-19 will be closely monitored and necessary precautions will be exercised to reduce the spread of this virus.”
But even with family prevented from seeing inmates at the jails, inmates still come into contact with each other and with law enforcement.
Gladney said inmates are not congregating in large groups anymore, except for outside exercise for an hour each day. For the most part, he said, they are in their cells or pods, areas with a limited number of inmates.
In Lowndes County, law enforcement are trying to limit the number of inmates with misdemeanor or non-violent charges, with law enforcement reviewing intake on a “case by case basis,” the LCSO press release said.
Both Gladney and Lowndes County officials said any inmate with symptoms of COVID-19 will go to the hospital and not be admitted in the jail. Lowndes County personnel have now made a temperature test part of the intake process.
Additionally, personnel and inmates at both jails are using hand sanitizer and cleaning surfaces to keep the jails sanitary and limit the spread of the virus as much as possible.
“We’re still going to enforce the law,” Gladney said. “We’re still going to do our job. If it’s somebody that we bring in and they can bond out, then they’ll bond out immediately. But there are some, depending on he severity of the crime, that maybe couldn’t. Those are just the ones we have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. We’re just being smart, being careful, cautious.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
