Changes to Detention Center in Hart County Affects City of Clayton, Rabun County

A Detention Center in Hart County which both the city of Clayton and Rabun County contract with for work details will be changing to an all female facility.

It seems the Whitworth Detention Center, which contracts with counties and cities from Rabun to Oglethorpe County, has contact the affected municipalities and there are mixed reactions to the announcement.

Although the prison is changing from a male to a female population, the prison work detail will still be available according to City Manager Cissy Henry, who said Clayton plans to continue utilizing the detail.

“We do have a contract with this facility, so we will continue to have a detail come up after January,” said Henry. “It’s going to be a women’s instead of a men’s detail.”

Henry said she does not anticipate much to be different due to the switch, but says one change is there will no longer be a level one detail prison worker.

“That’s one that does not have to be with the guard at all times who stays and cleans,” said Henry. “What they will do is bring a group of women up and clean the facility just once a week versus someone coming with the regular detail and staying back.”

The prison labor is not free, but is offered at significantly reduced fees – typically just the cost of the prison guard’s salary, a van to transport the prisoners, and additional equipment they might need.