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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
An October jail report from the Memphis Crime Beat showed that of the 3,254 people currently residing in the downtown and east jails, 2,550 were found to be repeat offenders, approximately 78% of the average daily jail population for that month. And within that population, 47%, had been incarcerated at least six times.
As the surge in law enforcement activity via the Memphis Safe Task Force (MSTF) has resulted in a significant uptick in arrests, local governing bodies have had to focus discussions on jail overcrowding and revamped funding requirements.
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Jailer Kirk Fields said the jail was 109 people over capacity in October, and that with the increase in detainee population comes “a corresponding rise in related expenditures, including food, clothing, bedding, and linens.”
Fields said the department estimates an additional $1.5 to $2.5 million of additional funding will be required to meet the increased demands.
To help alleviate some of the overcrowding issues, Sheriff Floyd Bonner has arranged for 300 inmates currently at the 201 Poplar jail location to be moved to other state facilities in western and middle Tennessee.
But other questions have been raised by conservative lawmakers who see the statistics as a reflection on the Shelby County Democrat District Attorney’s failure to properly prosecute offenders.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and state Senator Brent Taylor both believe that keeping the liberal DA accountable is paramount to the long-term success of the Memphis Safe Task Force and overall revitalization of Memphis.
“We must make sure our Soros-backed D.A. is prosecuting and not dismissing or pleading down cases. We must also make sure he is advocating for high bail for routine offenders,” Taylor posted on X.
“The first step is to enforce the law and to hold people accountable by prosecuting them and that’s the part that’s been missing,” he said. “We’ve got a D.A. that’s more interesting in saving people than he is prosecuting them.”
Leslie Taylor of Memphis Crime Beat concurred with the lawmaker’s thought process, stating, “If the justice system isn’t operating effectively to prosecute criminals that should be prosecuted they’re going to be put back out in the street and they’re going to commit more crime, and certainly this October jail report card with the numbers they’re publishing… suggest that there are indeed a large number of people who are getting arrested over and over and over again.”
To address the issue, Taylor has filed the Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act, which will require local district attorneys in judicial districts where the task force is in operation to certify to several oversight officials and boards why they, for felony charges, enter a plea agreement, lower a charge, or refuse to prosecute offenses.
The Senator hopes his legislation will disincentivize the DAs from putting the offenders back onto the streets and create parameters to assure proper prosecution. It will be considered when the General Assembly reconvenes in January for the 2026 legislative session.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
