JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A former retail destination in the capital city could soon be a holding facility for misdemeanor offenders.
Hinds County District 2 Supervisor David Archie is working with developers to transform a portion of the old Metrocenter Mall into a 72-hour holding facility for misdemeanor offenders.
Leroy Walker, with Retro Metro LLC, presented a proposal to the board of supervisors at its Monday meeting.
Plans would include transforming 54,000 square feet of former retail space into a multipurpose facility that would include a 72-hour lockup for misdemeanor offenders.
The discussion comes as the county struggles with challenges at the Hinds County Detention CenterRaymond. The county is currently under a federal consent decree and is legally unable to house most misdemeanor offenders at the facility.
It also comes as Jackson struggles with addressing misdemeanor arrests. Under a consent decree of its own, Jackson can only house misdemeanor offenders for 48 hours. Jackson has an agreement to hold those detainees in Holmes County but has yet to act on it, in part, because of logistical concerns.
Walker and Archie say the idea would not only take offenders off the streets but generate new economic development for the Highway 80 corridor.
“You would increase the volumes of traffic. Bail bondsmen would come to the area to bond people out of jail. If you have not had lunch, you could have lunch in the particular area,” Archie said. “You’ll have other municipalities - Clinton, Byram - they would be traveling here to drop their misdemeanor arrestees off.
“Perhaps from Byram, someone would pick up their loved ones and could eat while they’re here in Jackson. The traffic means a lot.”
It was not immediately known exactly where the jail space would be located, or what improvements would cost. The board took no action on the proposal Monday.
The more than 550,000-square-foot retail center closed its indoor mall in 2018 after nearly 40 years in operation. Today, the facility houses the city of Jackson’s water/sewer administration and Jackson Police Department Precinct 2.
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