By Taygan Lyke, Special to the Journal
It has been evident throughout the years that a plethora of problems have been arising in prisons around the United States and, more importantly, in Tennessee. Overdoses, assaults, lawsuits, and violence have left a lasting effect on Tennessee’s inmates, creating new problems to be dealt with. A local article, “Behind the Bars: Inside Tennessee’s Troubled Jail System,” emphasizes the terrible treatment these inmates endure and the effect it has on not only them, but their loved ones as well.
One of the major issues in these prisons is the lack of care towards the inmates. A lot of the time, the guards and other staff members believe it’s okay to treat prisoners with little to no respect just because they have authority over them. This has become a really common issue over the years and, even though some prisoners have committed heinous crimes, others are incarcerated for minor charges such as drug addiction or shoplifting basic hygiene products that they are unable to afford.
Allissa Moore, a daughter whose mother was arrested for drug charges, spoke out about her mother’s death, which happened after only three days inside McMinn County Jail. Moore ultimately sued the prison after her mother didn’t receive medical treatment while going through withdrawal, which is covered in a WBIR article. Her statement drew attention to the large number of deaths in the facility and led to the question of whether or not people are doing something about this.
Another problem that is occurring within prisons is the environment in which inmates are forced to live. A Knoxville attorney stated, “Our jails are just overrun, overpopulated, and understaffed.” These are all major factors that contribute to the problems inside correctional facilities and are also the reason why there has been a rise in inmate deaths throughout the years. The more overcrowded the prisons are, the less attention inmates will receive, even during a medical crisis. Without well-staffed facilities, prisoners are left unsupervised, which can lead to more violence behind bars.
All of these examples are reasons why there needs to be prison reform in Tennessee, but also throughout the United States. While there are multiple factors contributing to problems that inmates face, there are also steps that can be taken to improve the living conditions within prisons.
One example would be to decrease the capacity of inmates who are legally allowed to be held within one prison. A way to fix the overpopulation issue could be to imprison those who have committed malicious acts, such as murder or rape, instead of imprisoning those who were arrested for crimes such as addiction. Not every prisoner is arrested for the same reason and, as someone who has a lot of addiction in my family, I believe it’s important to make sure prisoners who are addicts or living on the streets are able to get the help that they need.
Another action that could be taken is paying better attention to the medical needs of these prisoners, since a large percentage of deaths in Tennessee’s jails is due to the lack of medical staff or care. One way that some of these deaths could be prevented is by being more considerate of what inmates may need instead of just brushing them off.
At the end of the day, prisoners are humans too. They have family, friends, and loved ones, just like everyone else. There needs to be something done about the treatment of prisoners within Tennessee, or else the deaths, as well as other problems, will just keep rising.
Note From the Editor
By Bean Gast
After reading this article, I found myself desperately searching for prison reform projects that are making a direct impact on the incarceration system in the United States. I was pleased to find a multitude of organizations doing the dirty work and creating change.
The Last Prisoner Project works to implement bills that will provide for the release of inmates who were charged for previously illegal drug activity that is now considered legal. Locally, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) Tennessee has a Campaign for Smart Justice that works to “foster public safety by ensuring police accountability and by reducing mass incarceration.”
If you want to further educate yourself on the monstrosities of our prison systems, but find yourself to be a visual learner, you can watch 60 Days In. This show follows “participants as they voluntarily go behind bars,” exposing poor living conditions, lack of medical attention, and cruel staff members. The incarcerated citizens of America tend to be forgotten and their mistreatment goes unnoticed, but educating yourself on the flaws of our system is the first step to making change.
