Audit finds Tennessee prisons severely understaffed, officers worried about safety

By TRAVIS LOLLER and JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee prisons are severely understaffed, leading to unsafe conditions for both inmates and guards. That’s according to an audit of the prison system by the state comptroller’s office. It found one prison had a vacancy rate of 61%. High vacancy and turnover persists despite new incentives like increased pay and bonuses. The audit also found a shortage of prisoner services in areas like therapy, substance abuse treatment, education and re-entry assistance. And it says the prisons have problems safeguarding against sexual assault that include housing potential predators with potential victims. Some problems have surfaced repeatedly, including in audits from 2017 and 2020.