Lee and legislative leaders have had differences over what the long-term effect will be.
Tennessee lawmakers pass ‘truth in sentencing’ bill, following months of heated debate
The debate about a controversial criminal sentencing measure is over. After months of back and forth, Tennessee lawmakers voted to pass a bill last week that would require many people to spend much longer in prison.
Tennessee governor postpones first scheduled execution since the pandemic, citing concerns about lethal injection protocol
Oscar Smith was not killed by the state of Tennessee as planned Thursday night.
Gov. Bill Lee granted Smith a temporary reprieve barely an hour before the execution was scheduled to take place, citing “an oversight in preparation for lethal injection.”
The other epidemic: Overdoses are spiking in Tennessee prisons, as deadly drugs circulate through supposedly secure facilities
Drug deaths have jumped more than eightfold in Tennessee prisons in the past two years. That’s left people inside, their loved ones and even officials feeling desperate.
Tennessee’s prison commissioner is sounding the alarm on major staffing shortages
The pandemic has only exacerbated the state’s yearslong staffing shortage at its prisons — and the dangers it can cause behind bars. To remedy the issue, the outgoing corrections commissioner is urging the legislature to boost pay.
Tennessee’s Top Prison Official To Leave State Government
The head of Tennessee’s prison system is leaving state government. Tony Parker announced his retirement Tuesday, effective this fall.
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