HARTSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Many NewsChannel 5 viewers have responded to our ongoing reports on CoreCivic and Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility since the violent overnight riot that lasted from Sunday night until Monday morning and required a response from about 100 officers.
See previous report: Riot at CoreCivic prison leads to calls for state takeover
CoreCivic offered the following statement in response to our request to answer questions submitted by viewers as part of NewsChannel 5's 'Your Voice' initiative:
Our company takes very seriously the concerns raised about the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center (TTCC), and we are engaging experts across our company and with our partners at the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) to determine how to move forward in a way that better ensures the safety and security of those in our care and our dedicated staff.
CoreCivic operates with significant oversight and accountability from our partners at the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), to ensure the allegations you provided in your email are prevented at all our Tennessee facilities, including at our Trousdale Turner Correctional Center (TTCC). We have our own detailed Human Rights Policy that clearly outlines our commitments regarding an inmate's rights and treatment, including legal rights, safety and security, healthcare, visitation and standards of living. Our staff are trained and held to the highest ethical standards, with extensive pre- and in-service training requirements covering all key policy areas, including but not limited to training on inmate rights and our Code of Conduct.
CoreCivic provides three nutritious meals a day to those in our care at TTCC. We take great care to offer meals that support specialized diets, including religious diets and more than a dozen therapeutic diets, as well as cultural preferences. Menus are reviewed and approved on a regular basis by a registered dietitian to ensure appropriate nutrition is provided. This menu review includes the common fare diet and religious diets, including food portions and nutritional content.
I'm including a link in our response to the latest update on the current status at TTCC, including that the facility continues to remain on lockdown status while last weekend's incident is being investigated and addressed. - Incident at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center [corecivic.com].
Our top priority at all our facilities, including those in Tennessee, is the safety of our staff and those entrusted to our care. CoreCivic has a zero-tolerance policy for the introduction of contraband into our facilities. We work closely with our government partner, TDOC, and engage law enforcement and other public safety agencies to investigate and hold individuals who attempt to introduce dangerous contraband into the facility accountable.
Contraband is a nationwide challenge for all corrections systems, both public and private.
Anyone coming into our facilities, employee and visitor alike, is searched for contraband. Correctional officers patrol our facilities inside and out; monitoring systems surveil public areas; mail is checked; and tip lines are available to report any encounters with contraband. All our Tennessee facilities have medical personnel who immediately respond to emergency calls, and our staff is equipped to provide lifesaving care to any individual experiencing a medical emergency. This includes administering Narcan as an intervention in a medical emergency response.
We also offer a resident concern line for those in our care or family members of those housed at our facilities that can be reached at the following link Resident Concern Line [corecivic.com].
Again, we take matters that you included in your email seriously and welcome any additional information or specifics you can provide.
Brian Todd
Public Affairs Manager for CoreCivic
Do you have more information about this story? You can email us at newsroom@newschannel5.com
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