Riot reignites scrutiny at one of largest prisons in Tennessee
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Law enforcement at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center during a prison riot. Photo: Trousdale County Sheriff's Office
A riot erupted at one of Tennessee's largest prisons late Sunday, injuring a guard and reigniting calls for an overhaul of prison leadership.
Why it matters: This marks the latest example of violent conditions at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, which is overseen by the publicly traded company CoreCivic. Critics, including state lawmakers and local district attorney, say conditions are perilous for staff and inmates.
State of play: The riot began late Sunday and lasted for hours, according to law enforcement. A "large group of inmates from several housing units" got out of their cells and got into part of the prison yard, according to a CoreCivic spokesperson.
- The inmates tried to destroy security cameras, started fires and tried to damage other property. They attacked one guard, who was treated and released at an area hospital, the spokesperson said. Three inmates were treated for injuries.
Prison staff used tear gas to quell the conflict and regain control. All inmates remained on prison grounds during the riot.
- The Tennessee Department of Correction is investigating.
The big picture: Violence at Trousdale Turner is well documented. It is the subject of several wrongful death lawsuits and an ongoing Department of Justice investigation.
- Understaffing and mismanagement have been noted in state audits.
Yes, but: Heightened scrutiny has done little to address the problem.
Zoom out: The state has contracted with the Brentwood-based CoreCivic to manage operations at Trousdale Turner since the prison opened in 2016.
- The state has doled out millions of dollars in penalties against CoreCivic amid understaffing and other problems.
What they're saying: High-profile critics responding to the riot said the state should take over operations at Trousdale Turner.
Trousdale County District Attorney Jason Lawson said a new charge related to criminal conduct at the prison emerges every four days.
- "The continual problems demonstrate that CoreCivic is unable to address the issues," Lawson said in a statement.
- "It is long overdue that the State of Tennessee shifted the management of Trousdale Turner from CoreCivic into the direct hands of the Tennessee Department of Correction. I am confident that Commissioner Strada and the Tennessee Department of Correction could manage this situation far better than what is being done by CoreCivic."
State Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) said keeping CoreCivic in charge is "profoundly unfair to the sheriff of Trousdale County, to the employees working in that dangerous environment, and certainly to the people incarcerated there."