Jails, Local Lock-ups

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on whether the bill changes other existing rules regarding electronic monitoring devices for prisoners who are required to wear them.

Changes to Work Release Rules for Prisoners

This bill allows prisoners on work release who were convicted of non-violent crimes and are considered low risk by the sheriff to be exempt from wearing electronic monitoring devices.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a new rule that allows prisoners who were convicted of non-violent crimes and are considered low risk by the sheriff to not wear an electronic monitoring device while on work release.

Who It Names or Affects

• Prisoners who are eligible for work release and have been convicted of non-violent crimes.
• Sheriffs who must decide if a prisoner poses a low risk before allowing an exemption from wearing an electronic monitor.

Terms To Know

Work Release

A program that allows prisoners to leave jail or prison during the day for work or community service, as long as they return at night.

Electronic Monitoring Device

A device worn by a prisoner that tracks their location and sends information back to authorities.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many prisoners will be eligible for this exemption.
• It is unclear if there are other ways besides electronic monitoring to ensure the safety of the community when low-risk non-violent offenders are on work release.

Official Summary Text

Present law generally requires
a prisoner of a county workhouse or jail who is released from custody on work release or otherwise allowed to leave the grounds of the county workhouse or jail for employment
or to perform work in the community, whether the work is paid or unpaid,
to
use an electronic monitoring device at all times when the prisoner is not on the grounds of the county workhouse or jail.

The entity employing the prisoner or utilizing the priso
ner for work
must
pay the costs of the electronic monitoring device.
However, these provisions do not apply if either of the following circumstances exist:



The prisoner, at all times while not on the grounds of the county workhouse or jail
(i)

i
s supervised by an armed law enforcement or corrections officer and

(ii) remains in the direct eyesight of an armed law enforcement or corrections officer
.



The judge of the sentencing court and the sheriff of the county where the workhouse or jail is located approve in writing an exemption to allow the prisoner to be released from custody on work release or otherwise be allowed to leave the grounds of the county workhouse or jail for employment or to perform work in the community without an electronic monitoring device.

This bill adds that those provisions also do not apply in the circumstance where the
prisoner was convicted of a non-violent crime, and the sheriff determines that the prisoner poses a low risk to the public and for escape.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 971
By Southerland

SB0971
001778
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41,
Chapter 2, relative to prisoners on work release.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-2-152(c), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(3) The prisoner was convicted of a non-violent crime, and the sheriff determines
that the prisoner poses a low risk to the public and for escape.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.