MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County officials are offering a clearer picture of how increased arrests stemming from the Memphis Safe Task Force and the recent National Guard deployment could strain nearly every aspect of the local criminal justice system.
While the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has already acknowledged overcrowding issues at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, growing concern now centers on the county’s backlogged court system and limited resources across departments.
“We are going to be looking at our increase from the 240 people a day who are being held in intake upwards towards 300,” General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer said. “Our dockets per day, we’re looking at about 1,200 cases, and we have just begun overtime operations in the past two weeks.”…