Corrections Division - Administration Section
The Administrative Section is comprised of the following:
- Classification – responsible for determining the least restrictive custody level required for an inmate and their cell assignment.
- Sentence Management – responsible for requesting sentence computation, processing court dockets, monitoring Holds, Detainers, Notifications, and Intra and Interstate Transfers.
- Jail Records – responsible for maintaining the files of inmates who have been incarcerated.
- Fingerprint/Identification – responsible for processing the fingerprints and Disposition Forms for submission to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
- Computer Services – responsible for developing and maintaining a variety of computer networks and systems for use by the Corrections Division personnel.
- Board Billing – responsible for computing and submitting prisoner board bills to the state and federal government for the expense of housing prisoners at the Hamilton County Jail.
Booking
The Booking Section is a twenty-four hour, seven days per week operation and is responsible for the intake and processing of all admissions into the Hamilton County Jail.
The Booking Section is comprised of three supervisors and twenty-seven officers working the following five posts: Intake, Data Entry, Fingerprint/ID, NCIC/RMS, and First Floor Operations.
The jail currently books approximately 20-25,000 detainees each year.
Classification
Inmates committed to the Hamilton County Jail are normally classified within eight days of their committal date. Each inmate is placed into the least restrictive custody level possible. Inmate classification includes minimum, medium, medium close, and maximum custody levels. To ensure health and safety, physical separation is maintained between the following categories:
- Adult and juvenile inmates.
Maximum custody inmates and those who may be violent or harmful to themselves or others. - Special needs offenders (elderly, medical, mental health).
Protective custody inmates. - Administratively as designated.
Jail Records
There are approximately 300,000 closed inmate files from 2001 to
present stored in the file room. Closed inmate files from 1981 through
2000 have been microfilmed and are available for review. Approximately
400 inmate files are processed each week.
Fingerprint/Identification
The Fingerprint/ID Section is responsible for disseminating the fingerprint packages and record copy of the arrest report to the appropriate contributing law enforcement agency for which the inmate was incarcerated. The Section processes and submits all of the fingerprints and R-84 Disposition Forms to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office arrests.
The Live-scan system was upgraded during mid-September 2000 to electronically
submit the fingerprint cards to the regional Automatic Fingerprint
Identification System (AFIS) and to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Computer Services
CJUS - The Hamilton County Jail uses a self-developed computer system for inmate and jail management. The system is called CJUS, the acronym for Criminal Justice. CJUS is a 3270 mainframe application, which links the courts (Sessions and Criminal), District Attorney, Public Defender, Grand Jury, Work House, and the Hamilton County Jail together.
Mugshot System - A new, state-of-the-art, digital imaging system has been in use since September 2004 to photograph inmates during the booking process. The system imports the personal demographics of each subject from the CJUS Computer System and combines it with the photograph to create the Booking Card. The system may be operated independently of the CJUS Computer System so that the booking process is not impeded during those instances when the CJUS System may be out of service. Photographs are taken of scars, marks, and tattoos as well as the typical front and side shots. Photographic line-ups are created for law enforcement agencies using the stored images.
Fingerprint System - Live-scan fingerprinting has been in use at the Hamilton County Jail since 1996. The system was upgraded and electronic submission of fingerprints to the regional AFIS and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began September 2000.
The live-scans receive the personal demographics of each inmate from the CJUS Computer System. The fingerprint system may be operated independently of the CJUS Computer System so that the booking process is not impeded during those instances when the CJUS System may be out of service.
Contact Information
Corrections Administration
601 Walnut Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7055
Fax: (423) 209-7056
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