Election Day is one week away for the majority of Nashvillians. But for people incarcerated in Davidson County’s jails, in-person voting happens one week earlier, on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Voting rights advocates visit Davidson County jails for registration drive
Voting rights advocacy groups, including Free Hearts and Campaign Legal Center, have been visiting Davidson County jails throughout this week to register incarcerated Tennesseans soon to be released.
Many states have made it illegal to shackle incarcerated people while they give birth. Could Tennessee be next?
After years of fits and starts, a statewide ban on restraining pregnant people has garnered the support of criminal justice reform advocates, medical professionals and even members of law enforcement.
Nashville Swaps Jail Cells For Mental Health Care At New Behavioral Health Center
Starting this month, a new 60-bed facility will provide immediate mental health care for some people who are arrested in Nashville with a mental illness, rather than locking them in a jail cell. Nationwide protests this summer have strengthened calls to spend less money on jails and more on mental health. The sheriff says he’s […]
Metro Prison COVID-19 Outbreak Goes Unnoticed Due To Reporting Loophole
More than one-third of the 460 men and women at a private prison in Nashville have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent weeks. But the outbreak has not been publicized because a special agreement between the state, Metro and CoreCivic has left the facility in a sort of transparency limbo.
Nashville Sheriff Races To Get Ready To Take Over Prison From CoreCivic
In just over a month, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office will take over a local prison that’s been privately run since it was built nearly three decades ago. Under pressure from councilmembers and activists, CoreCivic decided to cut its contract short. Now, the sheriff is scrambling to get ready for some major changes.
Jail Releases Early On In COVID-19 Pandemic Didn’t Spike Crime, Data Shows
A new analysis from the American Civil Liberties Union finds that many of the countries largest cities — including Nashville and Memphis — saw reductions in both jail populations and crimes reported this spring. That could encourage officials to keep jail populations low.
Nashville Jail Cases Climbing, Forcing A Staffing Shift
Climbing infections inside a Nashville jail is forcing a change in how correctional officers do their work. Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall says that 30 employees will be moved from normal duties into correctional officer positions at a facility in South Nashville.
Nashville Leaders Say They’ve Found A Way To End The City’s Contract With Private Prison Operator CoreCivic
Nashville’s Metro Council is renewing a push to end the city’s contract with private prison operator CoreCivic, and this time they have the support of the county sheriff, who says he’s found a way to take over operations of the detention facility in South Nashville.
Mass Testing At Davidson County Jail Reveals 135 New Coronavirus Cases
An additional 135 inmates at the men’s Davidson County Correctional Development Center have tested positive for the coronavirus after a round of mass testing at the minimum security jail.
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