State hasn’t picked up 140 inmates at Memphis jail and it’s costing millions

SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — Staffing shortages and an increase of inmates are creating challenges at Shelby County’s jail, and it seems the state isn’t making it any easier.

Through the Tennessee Records Act, we uncovered a list from the sheriff’s office that shows, as of Aug. 19, there were nearly 140 convicted inmates at 201 Poplar who were awaiting a bed at a Tennessee Department of Corrections facility.

Those inmates should be in TDOC custody, but instead, they’re waiting at the already crowded 201 Poplar to be picked up.

The average time the inmates on the list have waited for TDOC to pick them up was 252 days.The list includes Gregory Livingston , a security guard sentenced in May to life in prison for killing a man at a Kroger gas station.

“As the beds fill on the floor, it backs up the entire building,” Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner said. “The increase in inmate population is presenting another unique challenge, so you may be receiving some calls or emails regarding the number of inmates inside of our intake area and we’re trying to reduce that number.”

Buckner said the jail is reaching 85 percent capacity.

WREG Investigators found out there could be more available beds.

We asked the state if they were aware of the ballooning population at 201 Poplar, why they haven’t picked up the inmates, and when they plan to get them.

The only statement they gave us was, “TDOC inmates housed in local jails are regularly reviewed for transfer.”

On top of that, the sheriff’s office tells us it costs about $100 to house and feed one inmate each day, but the state only pays them back about $39 per day. That means the county has lost about $1.8 million by housing the inmates on this list, and the number grows with each passing day.

TDOC wouldn’t comment on that either.

We found a report released by TDOC in June. It states between June 2023 and June 2024, the were 3,900 inmates on average in backup.

The report went on to state, “Some offenders are held in backup at a local jail while awaiting transfer to a TDOC facility,” adding that’s “due to a lack of room for all offenders at TDOC facilities.”

The U.S. Department of Justice released recent data showing Tennessee’s prison population is growing faster than the majority of states.

“Over the last three or four years, the legislature has exponentially increased the length of sentences, and now that’s catching up with us,” Nashville attorney David Raybin said.

He told our Nexstar station in Nashville another big reason for crowding is that some sentences now come with no possibility of parole and early release.

According to the TDOC report, over the last decade the average number of inmates waiting for TDOC beds at local jails has steadily grown statewide. All while the local jails, like at 201 Poplar, deal with other problems

“We’re in a perfect storm,” Buckner said.

A perfect storm of challenges, he explained in our story Tuesday , from a crumbling building, more inmates facing violent offenses and staffing issues.

“While we wish we had 300 more correctional officers, we’re trying to do more with less. We’re trying to be strategic in how we house inmates. We try to be strategic in how we place staffing,” Buckner said.

Wednesday, the sheriff’s office requested $15.5 million in emergency funding. They asked to amend the operating budget and use money allocated for the mental health center. The discussion continues in the commission’s full meeting Monday.

He told WREG Investigators ultimately, a new jail would bring the most relief, but until that happens, they’re planning for every scenario.

“We’re having conversations now about contingency plans about where to house overflow inmates if we get to a point where we’re at capacity,” he said.

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