BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Jail overcrowding has reached what Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller calls a safety crisis, forcing detention staff to place beds in areas never intended to house inmates.
The Buncombe County Detention Facility population reached 543 inmates on May 31, well above the 470 inmates staff say is the maximum population for safe operations.
Miller and detention leaders say a combination of increased bookings, longer stays and the implementation of Iryna’s Law have contributed to the growing population…