Moldy, cold and spoiled: Food at 201 Poplar subject of inmate grievances
On Jan. 17 of this year, a Shelby County Jail inmate said he received only Jell-O, juice and milk (not pictured) on his tray: “The nutrients are not up to what I’m supposed to be getting,” he wrote. (Courtey Soupstock)
Moldy trays, cold food, spoiled milk and small portions are some of the complaints Shelby County Jail inmates cited in recent food grievance reports.
When inmates complain about moldy food, they’re told, “This all they got. Either we eat or don’t,” said Danyell Miller, a man formerly incarcerated at the Shelby County Jail.
The Daily Memphian reviewed all food grievances filed from the jail, better known as 201 Poplar, from Jan. 1, 2023, to March 6, 2024. The nearly 70 reports are another knock on a facility rampant with problems, including inmate deaths, broken jail locks, a recent inmate-organized fire, deferred kitchen maintenance, malnutrition and violence.
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners approved a $5.6 million contract renewal with the jail’s food service provider, Aramark Correctional Services LLC, on Dec. 4, 2023.
A commission resolution stipulated the body would need to individually approve each one-year renewal between the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail, and Aramark. Previously, those extensions would have been automatic, provided neither party objected. The commission approved in April an extension through June 30, 2025.
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Julia Baker
A lifelong Memphian, Julia Baker graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
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