By James Myers, OAN Staff
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 3:02 PM
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced an investigation into assaults, sexual abuse and murder at Tennessee’s largest prison.
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The Justice Department launched an investigation into Trousdale-Turner Correctional Center, a private prison opened by CoreCivic in 2016 and the state’s largest prison, following reports of sexual and physical abuse within the prison.
According to The Washington PostThe prison reported 196 assaults, two murders and 90 sexual assaults between July 2022 and June 2023.
“People are incarcerated at Trousdale-Turner Correctional Facility as punishment for a crime, but in our legal system, that punishment does not and cannot include violence or sexual abuse,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division said in a press release. “The Department of Justice is launching this comprehensive investigation to determine whether there are systemic constitutional violations regarding the treatment of people at this privately run correctional facility. We are committed to protecting the constitutional rights of people incarcerated in prisons and jails across the nation.”
Additionally, the prison is plagued with staffing issues, with guard turnover expected to reach 188 percent by 2023, according to U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis.
A 2023 audit of Tennessee prisons found that prisons run by CoreCivic in the Volunteer State have a 146% turnover rate, compared to 37% at state-owned prisons. CoreCivic prisons also have a 42% guard vacancy rate.
“The safety and dignity of everyone in our care is a top priority for the leadership and staff at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center,” said Steven Owen, CoreCivic’s vice president of communications. Daily Caller News Foundation“That’s why we’ve worked closely with the Tennessee Department of Corrections to identify and implement policies and processes that enhance safety and security, and provide meaningful programs and services to help people in our care prepare for successful reentry. We take this issue very seriously and are committed to working closely with both departments. [the Tennessee Department of Corrections] We will work with officials at the U.S. Department of Justice to address these concerns.”
Additionally, a Tennessee Department of Corrections spokesman said the department is cooperating with the investigation. Axios.
Tennessee has four prisons that contract with CoreCivic, and the current state budget allocates $233 million to the four facilities, including $80 million for Trousdale Correctional Facility.
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