Richland County committee hears update on Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center: population rise, roof and camera projects, and juvenile billing concern

Director Michael Brown updated the Richland County Detention Center Ad Hoc Committee on facility renovations, capacity pressures and a disputed juvenile billing rule at the committee’s meeting.

Brown said most housing units have been renovated ‘‘floor to ceiling,’’ but phase one—the open-bay dorms—remains and includes five units that require additional work. He told the committee that aside from unit renovations the county is addressing an overall roofing program (reported at about 6 percent complete) and is proceeding with a facility-wide camera upgrade that must be integrated with new tower construction. "The money that's represented here is already budgeted for," Brown said of capital dollars for the projects.

The committee pressed Brown on scope and cost. A council member asked whether the $3.5 million figure on the packet is for a full roof replacement or repairs; Brown said the figure is intended to cover "whatever the roofing that we need to do with the various parts," and confirmed that capital dollars have been allocated. Council members also raised the idea of budgeting on a long-term roof life cycle (20–25 years); Brown said county staff are setting aside capital dollars in anticipation of future needs and will consider long-term budgeting as part of the county budget process.

Brown presented average daily population (ADP) trends to explain capacity needs: 735 in the July 2022–June 2023 year, 939 the following year, 950 in the last fiscal year and roughly 1,003 currently, with a clerk sheet shown indicating 1,011 at the time of the report. He said more than half of detainees have been in custody greater than six months and that "we have people that have been there 4 and 5 years," a notable discrepancy with the county’s stated Type 2 facility role.

On facility classification, Brown explained Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is categorized under South Carolina minimum standards as a Type 2 facility, which is intended for persons awaiting court action or those sentenced to three months or less. He emphasized that the jail does not control admissions—arresting agencies and courts determine custody and release—and noted that classification rules require separating people by charge, which reduces usable capacity.

Brown also described compliance and training work: the county has engaged with Department of Justice recommendations, is participating in a large-jail network, and plans executive leadership training through the National Institute of Corrections to align with national best practices.

Separately, Brown raised a billing issue under a budget proviso identified in his packet as 6717. He said DJJ (Department of Juvenile Justice) now charges a $50-per-day per diem and an additional $125-per-day "capital expenditure charge" for up to 25 days for new juvenile admissions; county staff have received invoices that appear to bill the charge in cases where the juvenile had previously been in DJJ custody and are seeking clarification from DJJ about whether such re-admissions should be treated as "new admissions" for billing.

Brown reported an operational success: a surprise inspection of kitchen/food services prompted by a complaint resulted in a 97 out of 100 score. Finally, committee members voted to enter executive session to discuss personnel items under SC Code section 30-4-70/1; no formal decisions were reported from the executive session. Staff announced an ongoing national search for the detention center director using an outside search firm.

The committee approved routine items earlier in the meeting (minutes, agenda) and elected Councilwoman Cheryl English as chair. Members requested that Solicitor Gibson be invited to a future meeting to brief the committee on court case backlog and prosecutorial progress, which members said affects detention center population.