Bradley County sheriff says accreditation raised state per-inmate payment, could add roughly $200,000 a year

The Bradley County sheriff told commissioners the jail passed its accreditation audit in October 2025 and that the state increased the Tier 1 per-state-inmate payment from $3 to $6, a change the sheriff said could translate to approximately $200,000 in additional revenue annually if accreditation is maintained.

The sheriff opened the briefing by saying the change "brings us extra monies for each state inmate," and a staff presenter supplied monthly Tier 1 receipts for 2025: Aug. $19,344, Sept. $17,460, Oct. $21,018 and Nov. $19,080. The presenter also confirmed the jail's accreditation audit occurred in October 2025 and that the facility had been accredited for the next year.

Commissioners asked what Tier 1 accreditation requires; a staff member described it as a set of added programs and services beyond basic custody, including church and education programs, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous support, and 24-hour medical care. The staff member also noted program participation and local outcomes, saying, "we actually today had 8 inmates graduate with their GED."

No formal vote or policy change on use of the additional funds was made at the meeting. Commissioners asked the sheriff and staff to provide budget figures and said they expect the sheriff to present specific revenue and expenditure recommendations for the coming budget cycle.

The meeting record shows commissioners intend to track accreditation and program performance going forward; the sheriff confirmed he will report back to the commission at the next meeting if any operational or financial conditions change.