TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Dec 16, 2019

A recent article in the New York Times looks at the addiction crisis in rural communities and the impact it is having on small-town courts and jails. The piece focuses on the criminal justice system in Hamblen County, Tennessee, as an example of the challenges facing these communities. According to the article, Hamblen County sees a steady stream of repeat criminal offenders who are driven by their addiction, which leads to jail overcrowding and poor conditions. In fact, according to the article, the county sheriff calls the jail a “cesspool of a dungeon.” The piece also features those trying to make a difference, including Willie Santana, one of four lawyers in the county public defender’s office, and county administrator Bill Brittain who says, “We’ve got to do something different.”