More court weeks the answer to jail overcrowding?

When it opened nearly five years ago, the Oconee Detention Center was rated for a population of 200 inmates. Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says he believes that if the state were to authorize additional terms of the General Sessions Court, the disposition of cases during those added weeks could help avoid the potential for jail over-crowding. Crenshaw says, “Twelve weeks per year has been the standard for a number of years. The county arrests have increased. We need 16-18 weeks of court per year to prevent overcrowding in our jail.” One of those 12 weeks is this week.