Tennessee Prisons, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The Tennessee state prison is a correctional center found in the downtown region of Nashville Tennessee, it was opened in eighteen ninety eight. Tennessee State consists of three main regions that have fourteen state prisons in total that are allocated across entire state. The three regions are named west, middle and east. Eleven out of fourteen of these prisons are managed by the Tennessee department of correction while the rest three are supervised by Corrections Corporation of America. It is estimated that The Tennessee Department of Correction oversees more than 20,000 prisoners and has employed more than 5,000 workers who work in the eleven prison stations of which it manage. Out of the fourteen prisons only two are used to house female inmates since there number is less and compared to their male counterparts, these two prisons used to keep female intimates are located in Nashville and Memphis (Bartels, 1998). The other prison stations are used to house who number is high and is on increase day in day out. Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility in Nashville is mainly used to accommodate those inmates with in need of sensitive needs such as medical care or other forms of special needs.

According to American Journal of Criminal Justice (1986), the American Correctional Association it only confirms that The Tennessee Department of Correction  has keep on national accreditated standards, this can be attributed to tireless effort of Governor Phil Bredesen who in the recent past swore in Gayle Ray in capacity as the new of the Tennessee department of correction. Gayle Ray has enough experience in administration and management owing to his past forty years experience in service as a community elder, college tutor, an elected representative of various groups and manager in the same capacity. In his capacity as chief administrator of the Tennessee department of correction, Gayle was mandated to oversee one of the biggest jails in Tennessee State, and it was out of his hard work and initiative the American Correctional Association was able to notice changes in the state’s largest jails and accredited it with the current status.

Tennessee state prison structure

The initial proposed Tennessee state prison design was in the form fortress-like structure layout, it had eight hundred small cells which could house only one inmate at a time, they were also administrative buildings and other structures to serve as staff offices, stores and a factory all in a twenty-foot, (almost 6. 20) high by three-four feet thick rocked wall. The prisons had to farms outside the major walls which estranged juvenile offenders from the hard core older criminals (Byrnes ,1998). These prisons were characterized by lockstep marches, stripping of prisoner uniforms, frequent nightmares, and nighttime solitary confinement

Table representing each region and the names of prison facilities found in it

Function of correction centers

The main function of these prison centers to rehabilitate offenders so that they can be in position to stay a successful life free from mistakes after their jail term is over. In 2005 Tennessee department of correction formed two transition societies within the correction centers of which it was an initiative of the federal government to assist the entire rehabilitation program, it is estimated that 98% of all prisoner ultimately leave this inmates correction centers, the 2% are detained life term charges. During prison life, the all prisoners are expected to undergo training program (TRICOR) in various fields others perform work in supportive services within their respective institutions or get involved in work crews in the neighboring communities, all these activities are usually of much use to them when they leave the prison (Byrnes ,1998). It is approximated that almost 2670 prisoners attend GED training yearly and still 1900 purse professional training certificate.

It is also crucial to know there are departments within these correctional centers, the department of children services oversees the juvenile  offenders   in Tennessee excluding those who are sentenced as adults , are overseen while Tennessee board of probation and parole is mandated to supervise the parole inmates plus inmates who are on probation

Problems facing Corrective centers

Tennessee correctional centers face a number of problems and this has complicated there operations. At the sometime, there is stress building on maintaining ‘’ law and order’’ which means the number of those convicted for various mistakes is on increase and they are being sentenced for a long period of time. Also there is legislative reluctance on funding this correctional centers despite increase in the number of prisoners which has resulted in overcrowding, it is out of overcrowding that these prison stations experience an increased number of prison violence, riots, and escapes (Wines ,1968). In addition to these, the limited work schedules and asserted failures in corrective measures or programs, has led to several prisoners being idle of which supervisors find it a challenge in solving this problem. However, a number of allegations have been put on discussion in regard to ‘’ Cruel and unusual punishment’’  in Tennessee prisons. Due to this the state court has put this consideration and issued an ultimatum of reforms to be made.

Reforms to be made

• Increase the number of corrective centers to reduce overcrowding
• Increase the number of beds
• The state to provide additional funds which it will boast the construction process of Tennessee prison satiations

In conclusion, just like ant other prisons across the world Tennessee state prison obey the international rights policy and house inmates from different parts and not just Tennessee State alone, at the moment there are various reforms being undertaken in order  to improve the rehabilitation programs at Tennessee which will necessitated inmates to stay an independent life after they have left these corrective centers, reforms are also being undertaken to better inmate life while at Tennessee State prison (Bartels , 1998).

Reference

American Journal of Criminal Justice: Commentary, publisher Springer Boston 1986

Carolyn M. Bartels (1998): Tennessee C.S.A. deaths in union prisons Publisher Two Trails Pub

John R, Byrnes (1998): Tennessee government and politics: democracy in the volunteer state Publisher Vanderbilt University Press

Enoch Cobb Wines (1968): The state of prisons and of child-saving institutions in the civilized world Publisher Patterson Smith