Four Lowcountry jails—Berkeley, Colleton, Charleston, and Dorchester County—have failed South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) inspections every year since 2022 due to overcrowding, understaffing, inadequate medical care, maintenance issues, and security violations. Inmate accounts highlight severe conditions, including people sleeping on floors and delays in medical treatment, exacerbating safety risks. SCDC lacks enforcement power beyond letters and rare closures, leaving counties to address root causes like staffing shortages (149 vacancies across the four jails).
Key Violations
- Overcrowding: Berkeley holds 468 inmates against a 291 capacity; Dorchester has 278 in a 266 space; Charleston and Colleton have eased recently but failed previously.
- Security and Health: Improper inmate separation by gender or risk level, insufficient toilets/showers/sinks, fire code breaches, and delayed health appraisals.
- Staffing Crisis: Recruitment struggles fuel a “downward spiral,” with overtime and unsafe conditions driving turnover.
County Responses
Dorchester Sheriff Sam Richardson acknowledges overcrowding hinders fixes like repainting, pursuing studies and funding talks. Berkeley builds a $50 million expansion nearing completion. All counties recruit aggressively, but progress lags amid ongoing violations.
Oversight Limitations
SCDC notifies leaders post-failure but cannot fine; last closure was decades ago in Union County. Critics like ACLU’s Paul Bowers decry lack of urgency, while officials cite funding shortfalls despite offered solutions. Next inspections occur in 2026.
