Tough Times Force Cuts In Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Correction is reducing the prison population by 3,000 inmates in an effort to cut costs. TDOC officials said this will not be an early release program. Report from News Channel 5.
They are targeting low risk inmates who are about to be paroled or already have been. TDOC planned to spend more money on programs to stop parolees from reoffending and returning to prison. “It saves us money, gives us a safer community and it frees up capacity for more serious offenders who need to be in prison,” said TDOC commissioner George Little. A plan they hope will save the state $64 million in the long run by reducing the prison population by 3,000 inmates over the next two years. “It’s not one of those programs where you’ll be releasing a lot of folks. No, it’s not that. So, when the inmates in the institutions hear about this and they start packing their tooth brushes they can forget it. It’s not that,” said Charles Traughber, Tenn. Board of Probation and Parole. TDOC was focusing on parolees who are considered to be low risk and have the best chance of being good citizens.
The department of corrections was saving money in other ways. They are leaving 450 positions vacant and cutting back on inmate work crews that clean up roadsides. TDOC officials said it costs taxpayers $62 a day to house an inmate.
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