Knox County Jail Inmates

Knox County Jail holds various inmates of all different calibers. Inmates come in all ages and are held for a wide range of charges. The age difference can cause some issues between the older inmates and the younger inmates at times. Most former inmates say that a majority of the Knox County inmates are easy to get along with and the only reason they are in jail is for poor decisions not for being bad people. There are, of course, those that look for trouble, so make inmates keep to themselves and stay as far away as possible.

Good behavior
Those that do stay out of trouble are open for time off through good behavior. Every month an inmate can receive seven days off if classes are taken or only four days each month without classes. Inmates can also obtain jobs as grounds keepers and work towards good behavior. Talking back to guards can eliminate good time gained.

Blocks and housing
Inmates are held in four different blocks at Knox County. The blocks are separated into maximum security, medium security, and minimum security blocks. Former inmates say that minimum security blocks are not as bad as the others behavior-wise.

Phone privileges
Phones are accessible in each inmate's cell. All calls are to be made collect as phone cards are not allowed and cannot be bought. All calls are screened by the jailing staff.

Free time activities
A TV is also offered, which can be a potential problem. Much of the time inmates can agree on which shows to watch, but this is not always the case. Because few other activities are offered during leisure time, many spend their time exercising. These usually include sit ups, push ups, and walking around cells. Inmates are allowed out of doors but the frequency depends on the guards and the day. Knox County offers church services once a week for those wishing to attend.

Visiting the jail
Inmates may receive visitors two times a week. Those that do visit are required to place all their belongings in a solitary safe, and each visitor is searched by security before entering the visitation area. This area holds one long table with ten chairs. A mirror is hung at one end of the table for security purposes as well as stationed guards in each corner and security cameras. All measures are taken for safety purposes.

Meals info and medication requirements
Knox County inmates receive three meals a day, which are often rated relatively low on a scale from one to ten. These meals are usually given at early times of the day. Inmates are offered "junk food" two times a week. Medications are also offered upon prescription. Inmates are required to fill out a paper form to receive the desired medications. Inmates charged for drug abuse while incarcerated are held in a separate cell for five days. This cell is usually classified as very unclean.

Uniform exchange procedure
Inmates are given specific uniforms when they enter Knox County in exchange for their street clothes. These specific uniforms are similar to hospital scrubs with matching top and bottoms that come in orange. Both men and women wear the same uniforms.