COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Richland County Council met Tuesday about a whole host of issues, but before the meeting, attorneys, family members and friends of inmates at the Alvin S Glenn Detention Center gathered to speak out about what their loved ones are going through.
Marie King's son is an inmate at the jail.
After her son ended up in the hospital, then the jail's rehab program, she said additional changes need to be made.
"They need to make some changes, major changes, because whatever system they’re working on, it’s not working at all," King said.
Last November, News19 reported that the jail was under federal investigation due to conditions that were described as "unsafe and unsanitary."
Now, the families of inmates are voicing their concerns about the treatment of mentally ill prisoners.
"The only time I was able to see my son was at the hospital. He was the size of a toothpick. He was so small I’m still asking questions. How could this happen? Why did this happen? I'm still not getting answers," King said.
Attorney Stuart Andrews said conditions at the jail are still challenging for many of those housed there. Andrews has filed a lawsuit against the jail, a second amended complaint focusing on the living conditions and treatment detainees suffering from "serious mental illness," or SMI detainees.
"Everyday is a day that is a challenge for the men and women at Alvin S Glenn. Frankly, there are nightmares they face living out their time at the Richland County Jail," Andrews continued.
But Richland County Attorney Patrick L. Wright said things are improving at the county’s jail.
"There have been tens of millions of dollars that have been spent to improve the facility. The Department of Corrections that is responsible for inspecting it has also said that they were impressed with the facility and the improvements that have been done in the last year or two," Wright said.
Wright also said the detention center is not designed to treat inmates with mental health issues.
"Alvin S Glenn is a short-term detention facility. It is NOT a mental health facility. It does have people there that deal with mental health," Wright explained.
The county attorney said that some of the issues at the jail are systemic nationwide.
"There are people that have been there three years, four years, five years. That shouldn’t be happening. But that’s not because Alvin S Glenn is broken. There’s an issue in the system as a whole," he said.
King said she would encourage everyone in the community to get involved.
"You need to get involved if you want to make changes, because that’s what it’s going to take," King said.