Overcrowding pushes Buncombe County detention into safety crisis, sheriff says
By Kimberly King
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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Jail overcrowding has reached what Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller calls a safety crisis, forcing detention staff to place beds in areas never intended to house inmates.
The Buncombe County Detention Facility population reached 543 inmates on May 31, well above the 470 inmates staff say is the maximum population for safe operations.
Miller and detention leaders say a combination of increased bookings, longer stays and the implementation of Iryna’s Law have contributed to the growing population.
Detention facility staff told News Thirteen they struggle to handle the many mentally ill inmates who end up at the jail. Many also have substance use issues. News Thirteen has reported in the past the area’s main mental hospital is often full with little or no room for patients due to demand. Miller has said in the past the jail has become a place where people struggling with drugs or mental illness end up charged with crimes.
Miller says overcrowding is creating risks for both inmates and staff.
“In my opinion, safety is what is the concern — safety of the detainees and safety of the deputies who work there,” Miller said. During a tour with News 13, detention leaders showed areas where multiple mattresses have been placed on floors inside holding cells, commonly known as “drunk tanks,” to accommodate the growing inmate population. Some single-person cells are now housing two inmates, with one sleeping on a mattress on the floor.
Staff say violence inside the jail is increasing.
“We are seeing an increase of violence with our officers getting assaulted, detainees fighting each other,” said Major Jillian Banks, the detention facility’s operations supervisor.
“Urine is being tossed on staff, feces being tossed on them,” said Capt. Vivian Bacote, a jail operations supervisor. “Our staff is not trained to take care of the mentally ill.”
During the tour, a fourth-floor housing unit dedicated to inmates with mental health issues and disciplinary problems was filled with detainees. One inmate in a cell stood on a metal shelf several feet above the floor before a supervisor directed him to come down.
Staffing shortages are compounding the problem. Detention leaders say the jail currently operates with about 18 officers per shift but needs closer to 30 to safely manage the population.
“Every model we show, shows the numbers increasing,” said Capt. Jeffrey Littrel, another jail operations supervisor.
Jail data shows the population of people awaiting trial has increased 20% compared to a year ago, while misdemeanor cases have risen 12%.
Detention leaders point to Iryna’s Law as a major factor behind the increase. The law, formally known as House Bill 307, took effect Dec. 1, 2025, after being enacted in response to the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light-rail train.
The law expanded the number of offenses requiring secured bonds or limiting pretrial release options for defendants.
“Because of Iryna’s Law that went into effect in December, we need people to get out of jail,” Banks said. She added that judicial officials have limited flexibility under the law.
“The magistrates court and judges, their hands are tied. You have to have a bond,” Banks said.
Multiple defense attorneys previously told News 13 the law has resulted in more defendants being held on secured bonds or no bond, increasing the number of people who remain in jail while waiting for their cases to move through the court system.
Miller says the challenges are not unique to Buncombe County and are being felt at jails across North Carolina. During a presentation to county commissioners Tuesday, he said he is aware of at least one county jail operating more than 250 inmates above capacity.
Detention leaders say solutions could include diverting low-level offenders from jail, increasing mental health resources and moving criminal cases through the court system more quickly.
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