TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Mar 17, 2020

The Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TACDL) has called on state and community leaders to help prepare for and address the “significant health risk” that the COVID-19 virus poses to law enforcement and inmates at state and local prisons, the Chattanoogan reports. In a statement yesterday, TACDL suggested reducing the prion and jail populations to help minimize the spread of the virus. The group proposed six steps to help reduce the number of pre-trial detainees, including liberally granting release to pre-trial detainees with non-violent offenses, releasing those most vulnerable to the virus, pausing the practice of holding arrestees without bond for violations of probation, and more. Additionally, TACDL urged judges to consider alternatives to incarceration when sentencing.