It is often credited to Dostoyevsky that a nation can be judged by the condition of its prisons. If that is true, then Americans should be deeply concerned. Too many of our country’s prisons are places of despair and abuse, plagued by understaffing, crumbling infrastructure, and chronic violence – and Tennessee is no exception. This has become clear with the recent incidents at Trousdale Turner, state auditing reports, and a report from the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC).
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Memphis Police Identify, Issue Arrest Warrant for Suspect in Fast Food Restaurant Killing
The Memphis Police Department (MPD) Thursday announced that it has identified the suspect in a shootout at a Church’s Chicken on Monday night.Â
Monica Williams, 45, will face a First Degree Murder charge when she is apprehended. A warrant has been put out for her arrest.Â
Read the full storyAudit Finds Tennessee Prisons Remain Understaffed, Face High Attrition
A 206-page audit of public and private prisons in Tennessee was released last week, revealing both state and private facilities in the state remain understaffed and face high employee attrition rates while struggling to offer sufficient beds and services for inmates.
The audit, conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, found that the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) “has taken action to address critical staffing shortages,” but warned both TDOC and CoreCivic, which manages private prisons in Tennessee, “are facing an ongoing and deeply rooted challenge of attrition within their ranks.”
Read the full storyDepartment of Corrections Seeks More than $9 Million Budget Increase
Tennessee’s Department of Corrections is asking for more than $9 million in increased funding next fiscal year.
The bulk of that comes from $7 million for inflators for the department’s contracts with CoreCivic to run three prisons in the state.
Read the full storyState Department of Corrections Holds Training on Public Engagement at University of Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) said it trained last week at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville on how to engage with the public.
“TDOC’s Communications team is participating in an intensive, week-long training session at the The University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service Law Enforcement Innovation Center (LEIC), where we’re learning how to better inform, engage, and educate the public about the true mission of corrections.” TDOC said on Facebook. “We’re looking forward to being back in full force next week, bringing you industry best practices to better serve you!”
Read the full storyAlleged Drug Smuggler Charged with Murder After Overdose Death of TDOC Prisoner
A woman has been charged with murder after an investigation conclude that she snuck drugs into a Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) facility earlier this year.Â
Those drugs killed her boyfriend in an overdose, authorities say.Â
Read the full storyTDOC: Recent Prison Escape ‘Under Review’
The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) says a recent escape from a facility in Chattanooga is “under review,” but did not provide further details.Â
A month ago, Katelyn Standifer, 26, who was serving a three-year sentence for theft and Ashley Wardlaw, 36, who was serving a four-year sentence for theft, escaped from the Chattanooga Release Center.
Read the full storyFormer TDOC Officers Indicted for Alleged Assault, Coverup
Two former Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) officers are in legal trouble after allegedly assaulting an inmate and attempting to hide the evidence.Â
“The Department of Justice announced that Javian Griffin, 36, and Sebron Hollands, 32, two former tactical officers with the Strike Force for the Tennessee Department of Corrections, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee,” according to a DOJ press release. “Griffin is charged with using unlawful force against an inmate at Northwest Correctional Complex. Griffin and Hollands are both charged with obstruction of justice for writing false reports about Griffin’s assault.”
Read the full storyTwo Women Escape from Tennessee Prison ‘Release Center’
Two women at the end of last week escaped from a Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) facility in Chattanooga.Â
“The Tennessee Department of Correction is asking for the public’s help in locating two inmates who walked away from the Chattanooga Release Center Friday night and are now listed as absconders,” according to TDOC.Â
Read the full storyTennessee Office of Reentry Touts Study About Rehabilitating LGBT Offenders
A department of the Tennessee state government dedicated to helping those who have been released from prison is touting a Vanderbilt University study aimed at understanding reentering LGBT people into society.Â
“Thank you to Ms. Danait Issac out of or including us in the first part of her study on reentry efforts for the justice-involved LGBTQ+ population. These are important conversations and we look forward to your work in the future! #PrideMonth,” said the Tennessee Department of Reentry on Twitter, attaching the study.Â
Read the full storyGov. Lee Suspends Executions Pending Independent Review of Lethal Injection Process
Tennessee has suspended executions for those on death row after an “oversight” in the lethal injection process of one prisoner caused the execution process to be halted in the prisoner’s final hours.Â
During the suspension period, a review of the execution process will be conducted, according to Monday reports.Â
Read the full storyCertain Prisoners Now Front of Line for COVID Vaccinations Following Reports of Panel Saying It Would be ‘PR Nightmare’
Select Tennessee prisoners will now receive COVID-19 vaccinations, following a report on officials’ apparent hesitancy to prioritize them initially. The state progressed to Phase 1C of its vaccination plan earlier this week, which extends vaccines to those prisoners who are 65 and older or have eligible health conditions. Others now eligible to receive the vaccine are individuals 16 years old and older that have diabetes, Down syndrome, or any progressive neuromuscular diseases, or live in households with pregnant women.
The announcement to vaccinate these prisoners came shortly after it was discovered that officials determining the order of vaccine priority groups were hesitant to prioritize prisoners due to the optics of placing them ahead of other citizens. The Pandemic Vaccine Planning Stakeholder group, an advisory panel that assists in vaccine rollout decisions and communication with citizens across the state, reportedly stated during one of its meetings that prioritizing prisoners could prove a public relations “nightmare” and, possibly, a state liability. The Associated Press discovered these remarks in an open records request for the group’s meeting notes late last week.
Read the full storyBill Prohibiting Halloween Activities, Imposing Curfew for Registered Sex Offenders Moves Through House
A bill prohibiting Halloween activities and mandating a curfew for registered sex offenders has moved steadily through the State House. The legislation was introduced by Representative Lowell Russell (R-Vonore), a retired member of law enforcement himself.Â
The bill would align with similar rules previously imposed on offenders by law enforcement around the holiday. Since 2015, Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) has implemented “Operation Blackout,” a coordinated effort to conduct compliance checks on sex offenders that were on probation or parole come Halloween night. The offenders were required to abide by a 12-hour curfew and no-costume policy, as well as keep their porch lights off, doors closed to trick-or-treaters, and homes free of all fall decorations.
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