AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Right on Crime initiative published the policy brief, Community Supervision in Tennessee.
“The Tennessee Department of Correction’s Office of Probation and Parole’s implementation of graduated sanctions indicates that smart reforms to community supervision reap public safety benefits and cost savings,” said Julie Warren, Right on Crime State Director for Tennessee and Kentucky, an initiative of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Prison admissions for technical violations are down 21% since 2104 which totals $32 million in savings. However, Tennessee’s graduated sanction policy is in limbo due to a recent Tennessee court of appeal decision. The fate of this reform is currently pending before the Tennessee Supreme Court. ”
Key Points:
- The decreasing number of inmates released on parole means an increasing number of inmates who complete their sentence. This is a concern because those who complete their sentence are released into the community without any supervised reentry.
- Tennessee needs to reduce the length of its probation terms.
- Community corrections may need to be placed within the authority and supervision of the Tennessee Department of Correction for additional oversight, structure, and accountability.
To read the policy brief in full, please visit:
https://www.texaspolicy.com/community-supervision-in-tennessee/