August 31- September 7, 2025
by Mississippi Boulevard’s Social Justice Ministry
FACTS
- Individuals who have been arrested and held in the Shelby County jail are dying.
- Being held at the Shelby County Jail should not be a death sentence.
- It is the responsibility of elected officials/public servants to confront issues, such as this, correct those issues within their authority, use their influence, and collaborate with others to address those issues not entirely within their control.
FAITH
On Saturday, August 23, Mississippi Boulevard’s Social Justice Ministry agreed to send a letter to the Shelby County Sheriff, the Shelby County Commission, the Memphis City Council, and the mayors of Shelby County and Memphis, regarding the conditions at the jail and the proposed construction of a new jail. While ministry members are aware that the City Council and the City Mayor are not the primary decision-makers in this matter, they voted to send the letters to them because they felt the message of the letters was appropriate for many decisions. The letters are shared below.
The ministry chose to send the letters because it wanted to ensure the faith message is front and center, not overshadowed by essential policy language. Ministry members acknowledge that, like many of their fellow faith-based friends, they are unsure about the exact steps necessary to address the conditions at the jail. Nor do they have the time to research the specific policies needed. That is what others are elected to do. They are sure that people should not be dying due to the conditions there. They are also sure that before a site is selected for a new jail, community voices must be heard.
RE: Let things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV
Dear Sheriff Bonner,
1 Corinthians 14:40 highlights the importance of order in all we do. In our personal and professional lives, we are called to conduct ourselves in a way that reflects our values and beliefs. Our conduct, especially that of elected servants of the people, must be decent and orderly. We should do things in the proper sequence and at the right time, rather than haphazardly and impulsively.
As the elected sheriff, one of your primary responsibilities is the operation and management of the county jail. This includes ensuring the care, custody, and control of individuals awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences. Maintaining a secure and humane environment within the jail is a primary duty, requiring adherence to established standards. The jail must be run properly and in an orderly, safe, and humane manner.
People arrested and held in the jail you are responsible for are dying due to a lack of care, a lack of respect for their human dignity, and a failure to follow proper procedures. Reports show that individuals in mental health crises are being booked into jail when they are better served at a crisis center. Arrested people are kept in inhumane conditions for days, even though only hours are needed for booking. Afterward, they remain jailed too long before their arraignment. These situations fail to meet basic standards of decency. We urge and pray that you use your authority to make the necessary changes and influence others to do the same. Being arrested and booked into 201 Poplar should never be a death sentence.
The conditions at 201 Poplar need immediate action. Please don’t delegate solving these problems to others. Act now – improve processes, gather stakeholders, and work with them to correct these issues.
Anyone passing by 201 Poplar can see that a new building is necessary; however, selecting a location and constructing it should be done in a responsible and organized manner with input from the community. Use your influence to help the Shelby County Commission understand that it must conduct an independent study to decide where and when to build a new jail.
Finally, it’s essential to determine how the building deteriorated to its current condition and ensure this never happens again.
Blessings,
Mississippi Boulevard’s Social Justice Ministry
CC: Shelby County Commission, Memphis City Council, Mayor Lee Harris, Mayor Paul Young