The number of Tennessee citizens behind bars increased in 2022, coinciding with a drop in violent crime, according to data released this week by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and numbers tracked by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Tennessee saw a 7.9 percent increase in the state’s prison population in 2023, according to the report. The new prisoners include 1,615 men and 125 women. Additionally, the DOJ data release notes that Tennessee is one of only four states that saw more than 1,500 new prisoners during 2022, joined by Texas, Florida, Mississippi.
At the same time, the TBI reported violent crime in Tennessee was down across the board in 2022. The number of murders decreased by 9.54 percent, aggravated assaults decreased by 4.47 percent, and sexual offenses decreased by nearly a percentage. Domestic crime, which the TBI tracks separately from violent crime, was down 8.37 percent.
Some property crimes were also down, as 1.89 percent less robberies and 3.39 percent less burglaries were reported, but reports of auto theft and fraud both increased.
While Tennessee’s number of prisoners increased, reports indicate it was previously on the decline. Additionally, the DOJ notes that Tennessee’s prison population ranks far below that of other states. Florida prisons contain 84,700 inmates, California’s prisons hold 97,500, and Texas contains a prison population of 137,000, though neighboring Arkansas only holds 17,625.
The news comes despite an increase in crime in some of Tennessee’s cities, particularly Memphis, in 2023. TBI data revealed Shelby County has experienced a 9.6 percent increase in overall crime this year, largely driven by a 26 percent increase in major property crimes and 5 percent increase in violent crime since 2022.
Memphis Mayor Jack Strickland has blamed prosecutors for failing to adequately prosecute alleged criminals, and judges for failing to issue strict rulings in sentencing and bond hearings.
Shelby County General Sessions Judge Bill Anderson recently defended himself to local media after he released a man on trial for the Thanksgiving Day murder of a 15-year-old with zero bond. Seemingly deflecting blame, Anderson pointed to Tennessee gun laws, and held up a stack of papers he explained were essays about gun ownership written by defendants as he was interviewed by local media.
Following a letter from Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) urging action, Governor Bill Lee (R) ordered the Tennessee Highway Patrol to expand its presence in Memphis and Shelby County.
Soon after, the DOJ offered a new suite of resources to law enforcement and prosecutors in a bid to decrease gang crime, including prosecutors from the its Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Arrested” by Kindel Media.
