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Catoosa County Jail

5842 Highway 41
Ringgold, GA 30736
706-935-2323

Interview with Katie and Angel

JM: How long was your sentencing for?
Katie: 5 years.
Angel: Well I got six months with credit for timed served, but did three because I got good time. They didn't count my time i waited on them in Mississippi to come pick us up.

JM: Did you spend time in a holding cell after your sentencing? If so, what was that like? If you didn't where did they they take you instead?
Katie: yes. 2hours. It was really bad. They would not give you a blanket or even toilet paper.
Angel: yes, the holding cell is the worst part of it. It is so cold in there. There is absolutely nothing but you in the cell and a cold stinky toilet. You can't lay down and nobody will acknowledge you while in there, and sometimes it's for hours on end. I was up there for two days because the computer was down with no shower anything.

Life on the Inside
If you head east on the Battlefield Parkway in Georgia and come up to Highway 41 you'll find the Catoosa County Jail right next to the Sheriff's Office. As county jails go, this is a fairly modern facility having been built in 2002. It's around 54,000 square feet and can official house up to 248 inmates although the average population is closer to around 190 on any given day.

Men and women are housed in separate cell blocks. There are seven such blocks for the men and one for the women. Within those blocks, the violent and sex offenders are segregated from the general population.

According to some former inmates of Catoosa, there is a general sense that the inmates band together in support of each other and keep their distance from the guards. Apparently it's a tight knit group that you can assimilate into if you don't cause trouble and mind your own business.

Passing the Time
As for leisure activities there is a television, a few books and cards. That's about it. Meals are not given high marks and since this is the south you can expect to get a portion of grits everyday which doesn't go over too well with the inmate population. A commissary lifeline is available to help round out meals and provide some much needed flavor.

In terms of exercise, that too is extremely limited. There is no exercise equipment and most activity amounts to walking around the cell blocks. Outdoors there isn't much to do but sit in the sun and even then inmates only get out once a week if they are lucky.

Good Behavior Policy
At the state prison level in Georgia there is no good-time rewards for inmates. However, the county jails allow a "day for a day" to those inmates who are sentence to misdemeanor offense and who can stay out of trouble while on the inside.

Visitor and Phone Policy
Phone lines are open in each cell block from 7:30 in the morning until 10 at night. An inmate can make a collect call or use a prepaid phone card. You can also set up a pre-paid account through the telephone provider.

An inmate is allowed two 15 minute visits per week. The day of those visits depends on which cell block they are house in. It's up to the inmate to let their visitors know which day will work.

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