TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jul 7, 2025

Following a riot and dozens of indictments, calls are growing to remove CoreCivic as the private operator of the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville, with state Rep. Michael Hale, R-Smithville, and District Attorney General Jason Lawson urging the Tennessee Department of Correction to take over operations, Tennessee Lookout reports. A grand jury recently returned 41 indictments tied to incidents at the prison, including 12 connected to a riot in which inmates stabbed a staffer and seized control of an inner yard. Lawson said more charges are expected and that crimes at the prison have burdened the county’s court system while failing to improve inmate safety. Recent legislative and regulatory actions have sought to address high death rates at facilities run by private companies. CoreCivic said it is reviewing its policies in an effort to prevent further violence.