PROBLEM STATEMENTS:

Atwater will lead the charge for change with an impact-driven approach that focuses on cultural change, industry oversight, and policy reform.

Mission: Forging a partnership between the state, cities, police officers, sheriffs, educators, community stakeholders, community leaders, non-profits, violent interrupters, pastors, street organizations (gang members), community activists, business owners, rural counties, gun sales individuals, focusing on prevention, enforcement, offender intervention, and neighborhood revitalization.

To address the crime epidemic in the State of Tennessee, we must address the matter from a holistic approach with all hands on deck. Urban crimes are spilling into rural counties due to urban sprawl, gentrification, increased cost of living, and aggressive new development, displacing Tennesseans out of their traditional neighborhoods.

COMMUNITY-LED EFFORTS:

This program is a strategic approach to crime reduction that leverages community knowledge and expertise by focusing on community-led efforts, working with law enforcement and other local partners to support prevention and intervention efforts in neighborhoods where crime is concentrated or crime "hotspots." The approach is data and research-led, using this information to understand and target the issues.

Two Tier Approach:

• Action Plan Development: In this phase, the cross-sector partners collaborate closely on identifying crime hot spots. The partners collaborate with local law enforcement to conduct an analysis of crime drivers and an assessment of needs and available resources. The partners then identify the range of crime prevention and reduction strategies they want to pursue during the implementation phase. To complete the planning phase, the partners must submit an Action Plan to the TENNESSEE COMPREHENSIVE STATE CRIME CONTROL, ACCOUNTABILITY & PREVENTION PLAN (TC-SCCAPP) for approval that serves as a roadmap for implementing strategies. This strategy describes: the specific hot spots and crime drivers; use of various data sources to understand and prioritize crime hot spots; and a direct link between the strategies proposed and the crime drivers analyzed. The plan also demonstrates the criminal justice nexus for the strategies that are linked with revitalization and justifies innovative strategies or strategies based on the site’s theory of change and/or logic model.

• The second phase is the Implementation phase, where the partners implement the strategies identified in the approved Action Plan. In this phase, the partners continue to convene regular meetings with cross-sector partners, research partners, and the management team. The partners also identify and develop a sustainability strategy for longer-term implementation of (TC-SCCAPP) core principles, including the active role of neighborhood residents.

Strategic Approach:

To achieve (TC-SCCAPP) program goals, cross-sector teams commit to accomplishing the following objectives:

• Convene, lead, and meaningfully engage a broad cross-sector partnership team that must include law enforcement, other criminal justice partners, neighborhood residents, and relevant community stakeholders. Communities are also strongly encouraged to include a research partner or research team as part of the cross-sector team.

• Target communities with a concentration of chronic hot spots of crime, which can include violent and serious crime and/or drug-related crime.

• Address crime issue(s) that must represent a significant proportion of crime or type of crime within the larger community or jurisdiction.

• Employ a range of data-driven, cross-sector strategies (enforcement, prevention, and intervention) connected with revitalization efforts to reduce crime and violence.

• Establish effective partnerships both to provide solutions and commit resources to sustain what works.

• Work closely with the (TC-SCCAPP) provider to implement a comprehensive and coordinated strategy.

• Assess program implementation in collaboration with research partners, and plan for the sustainment of effective strategies with private and public state, local, and federal funding.

COMMON-SENSE GUN SAFETY REGULATION:

I will rescind the permitless gun bill on day one. As a person who believes in the 2nd Amendment, I believe fully in the right to bear arms, but there must be a healthy balance to protecting all Tennesseans from unnecessary harm or danger.

(a) Ensuring a balancing act to protect the 2nd Amendment rights of Tennesseans, innocent victims, police officers, and children, thus keeping these guns out of criminals' and teenagers' hands. Dispel the myth that more guns make us safer.

(b) Now, it's time we redefine America’s relationship with firearms.

(b) The gun violence epidemic is a uniquely American issue. Americans are 26x more likely to be shot and killed than others in high-income countries. Every day, 327 people are shot in the United States. Of those, on average, 117 will die. Every day,23 minors are shot in the United States.

(c) As of 2022, the United States has 121 Firearms per 100 residents. Making it the only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. We have more guns than citizens and more dealers than McDonald’s.

(d) Gun violence is a complex issue that takes many forms. Causing Americans to lose their loved ones to gun violence at an alarming rate.

The U.S. makes up 35% of global firearm suicides while accounting for just 4% of the world’s population. Over 1 million people in America have been shot in the past decade. Gun deaths hit a 40-year high in 2021, with 48,830 deaths that year alone.

INDUSTRY OVERSIGHT: Focus on suppliers instead of shooters to hold reckless dealers accountable for perpetuating crime. 5 % of dealers supply 90% of firearms used in crime.

CULTURE CHANGE: Educate Tennessee on the safe use and storage of firearms to reduce harm to our kids and our communities. 645 mass shootings occurred in 2022 alone.

POLICY REFORM

POLICY REFORM: As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will fight for life-saving policy solutions supported by the majority of Americans, including gun owners.

97% of voters want stronger background checks.

(e) 1 in 5 Americans say they have had a family member fatally shot. Americans are twice as likely to lose a loved one to gun violence as they are to be left-handed.

(f) Mass shootings make up only 1% of all gun violence in America. 60% of gun deaths are suicide, and 37% are homicide, including the 1% of mass shootings. The remaining 3% of gun deaths include law enforcement-involved shootings, unintentional shootings, and those that were undetermined.

(g) The State of Tennessee needs a holistic, comprehensive prevention plan to be the blueprint for across the state to serve as a blueprint for police officers, sheriffs in all counties, cities, towns, and municipalities.

(e) With the passing of the permitless carrying gun bill, this has complicated gun violence on the streets.

(f) However, five of the more methodologically strong studies found that shall-issue or permitless-carry laws were associated with significantly higher rates of homicide. Four methodologically strong studies found that such laws were associated with significantly higher rates of firearm homicides.

(g) Permitless gun carry bills, often referred to as "Constitutional Carry," allow individuals who can legally possess a firearm to carry it in public—either openly or concealed—without needing a government-issued permit.

(1) Lack of Training: Critics point out that permitless carry removes mandatory firearm safety training and live-fire requirements, potentially leading to more accidental shootings or poor decision-making in high-stress situations.

(2) Public Safety Risks: Some studies suggest that states with permitless carry see increases in violent crime, including a 13–15% rise in violent crime rates and an 11% increase in handgun homicide rates.

(3) Officer Safety: Law enforcement groups have expressed concern that these laws make their jobs more dangerous, as they cannot easily verify if an armed individual is legally allowed to carry. Some data indicates a 12.9% increase in officer-involved shootings in states with these laws.

(4) Higher Standard Bypass: Permitting systems often have higher eligibility standards (e.g., prohibiting those with violent misdemeanors) that permitless carry laws may eliminate, allowing more "unvetted" individuals to carry in public.

(h) Major loopholes in U.S. gun laws allow firearms to be obtained without background checks, most notably the private seller loophole, which allows unlicensed individuals to sell firearms online or at gun shows without a check. Other gaps include the " boyfriend loophole" (allowing some abusers to buy guns), the "three-day loophole" for incomplete background checks, and issues with tracing "ghost guns".

• Key loopholes in gun laws include:

  • Private Seller/Gun Show Loophole: Federal law only requires licensed dealers (FFL holders) to run background checks. Private sellers, including many at gun shows, online, or in classifieds, are exempt, allowing prohibited individuals to buy guns without checks.

  • The Boyfriend Loophole: While federal law prohibits convicted domestic abusers from owning guns if they were married to or lived with the victim, it often does not cover abusive dating partners, leaving a gap.

  • The "Three-Day" Loopholes: If a background check is not completed within three business days, a licensed dealer may proceed with the sale by default, even if the check is still pending.

  • Ghost Guns/Undetectable Firearms: The "Three-Day" Loopholes: Kits or components sold without serial numbers allow buyers to create functional, untraceable firearms at home, evading background checks.

  • Straw Purchases: While illegal, this loophole occurs when a person legally buys a gun on behalf of someone who cannot pass a background check.

  • Loopholes in Mental Health Reporting: Due to privacy laws and a lack of reporting, some individuals with disqualifying mental health issues do not have their information entered into the NICS background check database.

  As of April 2024, the Biden administration has implemented new rules to tighten the definition of "engaged in the business" to require more private sellers, including those online, to obtain a license and conduct background checks

FIRST TENNESSEE COMPREHENSIVE STATE CRIME CONTROL, ACCOUNTABILITY & PREVENTION PLAN (TC-SCCAPP)

Tennessee's Comprehensive State Crime Control, Accountability and Prevention Plan, will be led by the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention Database and Policy (GOCPDP), a five-year strategy (2027–2032) focusing on a five-pronged approach: poverty, cultural enhancement training, strengthening public safety/enforcement, preventing at-risk youth crime, and supporting crime victims. It targets violent, gun, and gang-related crimes, utilizes data-driven strategies, and promotes restorative justice.

Tennessee’s Comprehensive State Crime Control, Accountability and Prevention Plan 2027-2032 will include information to support and enhance public safety and public policy, prevent and respond to delinquency and abuse of children and youth, and serve victims. It also includes strategies for supporting collaborative enforcement efforts that target gangs, drugs, firearms, and human trafficking organizations, prioritizing a system that focuses on the principles of restorative justice for at-risk youth offenders in Tennessee, and building a robust system for victims of crime within the State of Tennessee.

As the next Governor, I will implement the first Comprehensive Crime Prevention Plan to address the out-of-control crimes across the State of Tennessee. This plan would correct and address effective communication skills training, police cultural awareness, police brutality accountability, Conviction Review Units, Tennessee Innocence Commission, Tennessee Violence Interruption Program, Tennessee Hospital-based Violence Interruption Program and Tennessee Outreach Youth & Management Advocacy Program, mental health counseling, ACEs (Adverse Community Experiences), trauma intervention, homeless, drug counseling, poverty, parenting awareness programs, teacher collaborative programs, community-driven solution protocols, and disinvestment in poor neighborhoods.

A Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) is a division of a prosecutorial office that works to prevent, identify, and remedy false convictions. They are sometimes called Conviction Review Units (CRUs).

Under my progressive community-focused leadership, the Tennessee Innocence Commission will be developed to review credible post-conviction cases in which the defendants and their advocates claim wrongful conviction.

Under my progressive community-focused leadership, Tennessee Restorative Justice will be integrated into every aspect of the criminal justice system. Some of the most common programs typically associated with restorative justice are mediation and conflict-resolution programs, family group conferences, victim-impact panels, victim–offender mediation, circle sentencing, and community reparative boards.

Tennessee Violence Interruption Program (TENN VIP) will be a community-based approach to reducing communal and interpersonal violence that treats violence as a public health problem. In the State of Tennessee, many children, teenagers, and young adults are living with untreated trauma because of daily encounters and violence, which have caused post-traumatic stress syndrome that leads to other social, economic, psychological, and behavioral problems.

This concept of Violence Interruption is not a new phenomenon, but the State of Tennessee has not capitalized on this innovative plan to combat crime and gun violence in our communities. Instead, political leaders have signed a permit-less gun carry bill, which further exacerbates this problem.

Individuals providing violent interruption services are known as violent interrupters. Techniques used include mediation and measures to address the underlying causes of violence. These mediations are usually between rival gangs. Violent interrupters are people who have lived experience and usually come from the neighborhoods they work in. Maintaining respect and trust from the community is of the utmost importance to foster strong relationships with the individuals who are being served, so that they maintain their credibility as messengers.

TENN V.I.P will also help these individuals access services that can address the underlying root causes of an individual’s actions. For example, job training, job placement, parenting skills, drug addiction assistance, housing relocation, etc. The initiatives use a public health model to prevent violence and crime by treating them as diseases. TENN V.I.P. initiatives will be placed in schools, churches, community centers, civil organizations, community parks, hospitals, etc. There will be a specific hotline to access this service. 

Violence interruption is distinct from law enforcement as an approach to ending violence, although the two approaches can sometimes be regarded as complementary to one another. The component that makes this strategy so successful is the community partner agencies and the interrupters themselves.

Tennessee Hospital-based Violence Interruption Program (TENN H.V.I.P.) will reach survivors of violence in the hospital. There, case managers and social service providers try to meet victims’ basic needs and support them, while also working to prevent retaliation. Some programs will involve police officers’ assistance, pastors, and other community leaders.

Mental Health Co-Responder working hand-in-hand with police officers. When mental health providers partner with law enforcement strategically and thoughtfully, it’s possible to improve outcomes for those suffering from mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and other emotional/cognitive impairments. A mental health professional acting as an on-scene consultant to both the police officer and to various involved citizens can reduce the likelihood of the situation escalating to violence. This, rather than the fantasy of eliminating law enforcement and turning such situations exclusively over to the mental health system, actually has the potential of enhancing public safety over the long term, particularly for those most at-risk.

My special program for youth will be the Tennessee Outreach Youth & Management Advocacy Program (TOY MAP).

In the State of Tennessee, it is time to address real problems and solutions to the crime epidemic in our communities across the State of Tennessee. There must be funding allocated to this gap in safety and protection for our citizens.

We cannot dismiss or leave our children of this great State hanging without a lifeline of hope, consequently living in poverty-stricken and crime-riddled neighborhoods where their only protection is running for their lives when bullets are dancing in the air.

Around the corners of rural Tennessee, rural neighborhoods have gang members that are lurking in the middle of the night for innocent children. TOY MAP will try to stop the manifestation of gang affiliations before it permeates the rural areas. We will have creative markers in place to identify this growing problem in rural areas.

This youth program will be geared to working in underserved and marginalized urban communities with high rates of gun violence, thus getting on the ground with increasing gang affiliations in the rural communities in the State of Tennessee. TOY MAP will work from a holistic perspective, integrating the family, community, and high-risk children in this circle of combating crimes of violence in our state, where guns are prevalent on every street corner.  Using community leaders, community organizations, community churches, and non-profits, this initiative will identify those who are gang-affiliated or have known gun-related histories. In our larger cities, such as Memphis, Chattanooga, Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Knoxville, we will implement models that target specific individuals and neighbors and broader violence and crime reduction strategies.

We will have a community-driven built-out TOY MAP program that will cover, but not be limited to, the following specified programs:

• Youth Empowerment Services

• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) Day Treatment

• Outpatient Services

• In-Home and School-Based Services

• Child Welfare

• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

• Violence Interruption Service

• Youth and Young Adult Justice

• Drug Education and Outreach

• Child Trafficking

• Innovation Outreach

TOY MAP will creatively incorporate interventions into our core services to better meet the needs of young people and families served. For example, we might include evidence-based interventions such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when we work with young people with trauma histories; or we may use Peaceful Alternatives to Tough Situations with justice-involved youth; or Strengthening Families to support parents in the child welfare system. We will decide which interventions to incorporate with our TOY MAP programs in partnership with the parents, residents, local community stakeholders, pastors, community leaders, civil organizations, and any other entity that can serve this innovative program as a lifeline to our youth.

TOY MAP will develop interventions that supplement our program's core services. Innovation outreach like Street Rapp, “Tennessee Has Talent (THT),” and Basketball Great, “Work with A Hero” will help participants build their skills and connect them to economic opportunities.

Goal: Strengthen law enforcement effectiveness, trust, and partnership. Build a joint working relationship between all District Attorneys (DAs), Mayors, and Sheriffs for unification.

• Request needs an audit and capital plan, Statewide.

• Publish a plan explaining what is required, why, and how the State intends to proceed with equitable justice for all.

• Begin/continue conversations with federal partners on funding support for 201 Poplar.

• Implement a Review Board regarding data on violent crime drivers and repeat incidents.

• Review or begin a joint safety assessment with prison leadership, reviewing patrol patterns, staffing, and technology needs.

• Expand partnerships for co-response teams for mental health calls.

• Release a Statewide Community Safety Framework combining prevention, intervention, enforcement, lighting, and youth supports.

• Standardize (AI) reporting on use-of-force, response time, and patrol coverage statewide.

• Release a Justice Access Report with findings and solutions for efficiency and fairness across the State of Tennessee.

Key Components of the Plan:

• Public Safety and Enforcement: Collaborative efforts to reduce violent crime, focusing on gun violence, human trafficking, and drug trafficking through enhanced data integration, training, and law enforcement partnerships.

• Youth Violence Prevention: The plan implements restorative justice principles for at-risk youth and focuses on preventing delinquency.

• Victim Services: Building a comprehensive, robust support system for victims of crime.

• Targeted Programs: The P.R.O.T.E.C.T. (Public Resources Organizing to End Crime Together) program focuses on high-crime "micro-zones" by coordinating local, state, and community resources to improve safety and reduce crime.

• Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing data to improve investigative practices and target resources effectively. 

• 2024-2026 Strategy: The plan is updated annually to adjust strategies based on current crime trends and community needs.

• Legislative Changes: Incorporates reforms such as the Police Accountability Act, which mandates police training, accountability, and mental health assessments.

• Behavioral Health Integration: Utilizing the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) to connect individuals with behavioral health needs to services instead of the justice system.

People with behavioral health needs are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system and have a high rate of repeat interaction with public safety and health systems. In Tennessee, justice-involved individuals report high rates of behavioral health needs. A 2016 report found that nearly 40% of people in Tennessee jails had a current mental health disorder, and 1 in 4 suffered from a serious mental illness. More than two-thirds (69%) have a substance use disorder. Roughly a third have a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. Data are lacking on the prevalence of intellectual and developmental disabilities in Tennessee, but Activating Change states that nationwide, people with disabilities are three to four times more likely than people without disabilities to be incarcerated. As a result, although people with disabilities comprise only 20% of the U.S. population, they account for 40% of those in jail. In Tennessee, we will identify and set forth an array of legislation, programs, and exemplary practices at both the state and county levels that address the needs of justice-involved individuals with mental or substance use disorders. At the same time, focus on a central entity charged with collecting and disseminating evaluation data and information to promote expansion of programs and guide state priorities.

The plan will established the TN-SCCPP’s purposes to include: (1) act as a statewide information repository for behavioral health treatment and diversion programs related to the criminal justice system, (2) lead the development of a strategic plan to increase treatment and reduce the detention of justice-involved individuals with behavioral health disorders, (3) provide technical assistance to local governments for developing effective systems of care that prevent and minimize involvement with the justice system for individuals with behavioral health disorders, (4) facilitate local and/or regional planning workshops using the Sequential Intercept Model, (5) coordinate with the Tennessee Department of Health and the Behavioral Health Administration to implement and track the progress of creating an effective systems of care related to individuals involved in the justice system, and (6) identify and inform any relevant stakeholders of federal funding available through the center to carry out its mission. In 2027, the TN-SCCPP will begin the process of developing a strategic plan that would guide the center’s efforts in the initial years. The strategic plan is aimed at translating the above-mentioned purposes into concrete priorities, objectives, and action steps for the center to undertake. This planning process included partnering with the Tennessee Crime Research and Innovation Center (TCRIC) at the University of Memphis in July 2027 to lead the development of the strategic plan. TN-SCCPP will assemble a multidisciplinary team from within the University of Memphis and contracted topic experts. The multi-year statewide strategic plan will draw on the recommendations of the cumulative agencies.

The TN-SCCPP will focus on the intersection of behavioral health and public safety. Behavioral health is a broad term that includes serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorder (SUD), and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Public safety refers to the well-being and protection of everyone in the community, including individuals with a history of justice-system (i.e., police contact through corrections and reentry) involvement and those at risk for justice-system involvement. The TN-SCCPP’s Strategic Plan 2027-2032 will outline seven priority areas with goals and action steps that provide a roadmap to carry out the mission of the center. Action steps are classified as “in progress,” “immediate,” and “forthcoming.” Actions will be prioritized based on the following criteria:

● Feasibility given the resources (e.g., data, personnel) currently available.

● Necessary prerequisite to provide the infrastructure or obtain information to meet the needs of the stated priorities and guide forthcoming actions.

● Availability of reliable and valid evidence to support the implementation of actions; and

● Value alignment with the TN-SCCPP’s mission and guiding principles. Throughout the plan, we will use the term “jurisdiction” to refer to Tennessee’s 95 counties, recognizing that these county/city designations include multiple smaller jurisdictions within them. Our identified priority areas will be as follows:

1. Identify and Assess Local Resources for Justice-Involved Persons with Behavioral Health    Disorders (Mental Health Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and/or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) through Localized Sequential Intercept Model Mapping. The Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) was developed to help communities identify ways to address the disproportionate number of people with behavioral health issues in the criminal justice system across six key “intercepts” at which people with behavioral health needs come into contact with and flow through the criminal justice system. By engaging in the SIM process, jurisdictions assess resources and determine critical service gaps; identify opportunities to divert individuals from justice system involvement into alternative treatment services; forge partnerships between different agencies, organizations, and jurisdictions; introduce practitioners to evidence-based practices; enhance relationships across systems and agencies; and create customized plans for community change.

2. Build Community-based Crisis Response Team (CRT) Programs. Crisis Response Team (CRT), also known as Crisis Intervention Team, programs leverage collaborative community partnerships and intensive training to respond to individuals in crisis. This community-based approach brings together law enforcement, mental health providers, emergency services, advocates, and others to improve outcomes of behavioral health crisis incidents. Whereas there are core elements of CRT that should be widely adopted, jurisdictions should complement these efforts to meet the needs of their specific challenges (e.g., homelessness, trauma, suicide) and populations experiencing behavioral health crises (e.g., transition-age youth, veterans).

3. Coordinate Within and Across Systems to Minimize Disruptions in the Continuum of Care. A continuum of care refers to a comprehensive range of services provided through criminal justice and public health systems that evolve as individuals progress through the systems and transition through different levels of care. Coordination within and across systems will minimize disruptions and delays in accessing services by prioritizing community-based treatment and harm reduction strategies and investing in prevention and peer services. These efforts take place at the state and local levels, including promoting statewide policies, supporting direct service provision, training and supporting behavioral health specialists, including peer mentors and service providers, and assisting in the expansion of the local workforce and potential employers to achieve full coverage.

4. Support the Development of Formal Screening Processes to Identify Candidates for Diversion. Although the high prevalence of individuals with behavioral health issues in the criminal justice system is known, many agencies lack the resources to accurately identify who and how many people under their care have behavioral health needs. This greatly limits the ability to respond to these needs. Unfortunately, behavioral health issues are under-identified in part because screening in criminal justice settings is inconsistent and incomplete. The TN-SCCPP will support the development of screening processes to accurately and swiftly identify those with behavioral health needs who come in contact with the criminal justice system, develop protocols for appropriate timing and number of intervention points to administer screeners, facilitate training and provide technical assistance for selecting and administering screeners, and support data and analysis to understand the scope and patterning of behavioral health issues in Tennessee’s criminal justice system.

5. Promote Comprehensive and Consistent Data Collection, Management, and Integration. Improving cross-system data collection, management, and integration is essential for a myriad of reasons, including (but not limited to): identifying the service population (especially high-utilizers/ frequent fliers), informing client-level decisions and diversion, analyzing trends and patterns in service utilization and delivery over time, justifying the development and expansion of programs, and measuring individual and program outcomes and success. To promote a comprehensive behavioral health and public safety data infrastructure, the TN-SCCPP, in partnership with the appropriate advisory boards and area experts, must first develop standardized protocols that detail what data should be collected, how data should be collected, who is responsible for collecting these data, and where data integration can and should take place (TN-SCCPP) or other organizations to be determined, e.g., BHA, independent agency).

6. Support Data-Driven Decision Making. Justice-involved people with behavioral health disorders are served in multiple systems. Building a comprehensive data system to support data-driven decision making begins with linking data across systems. Linking longitudinal data from multiple systems can provide answers to questions about policy and program effectiveness and create client-level service/treatment records to improve continuity of care for justice-involved persons with behavioral health disorders. By partnering with researchers from Tennessee colleges and universities, the TN-SCCPP can leverage a network of interdisciplinary experts to navigate complex data systems, analyze behavioral health and public safety trends, evaluate program/policy outcomes, and assess performance metrics.

7. Facilitate Communication and Information Dissemination about Opportunities and Best Practices Across Jurisdictions, the State, and the Nation. The TN-SCCPP will function as the State’s clearinghouse for information regarding behavioral health, public safety, and their intersection. The TN-SCCPP is positioned to streamline and strengthen communication between and across agencies, organizations, and jurisdictions to leverage existing capacity and knowledge building, identify opportunities for collaboration and scaling of promising programs, and create a community of cooperation that promotes shared learning and a commitment to a safer and more supportive State. This work involves efforts including establishing standard language to facilitate shared understanding and collaboration, creating translational documents to share emergent strategies and evidence-informed approaches occurring locally and nationally, and developing a website to function as the centralized hub for accessing timely information and developments. To facilitate the achievement of the TN-SCCPP’s priorities, we highlight four key goals for 2027. These goals will enable center staff to develop collaborations with experts, practitioners, and people with lived experience and begin to identify current resources and gaps in services and provide recommendations for addressing them in future years.

8. Develop a comprehensive Behavioral Health and Public Safety Center of Excellence website. A key role of the TN-SCCPP is to facilitate communication between and across agencies, organizations, and jurisdictions across the State. To do this effectively and efficiently, the TN-SCCPP should develop a comprehensive website during the next fiscal year. This website would be separate from the general GOCPYVS website, though linked on that page. We envision this website as a “one-stop shop” for accessing information on SIM, CIT, emergent evidence-informed and evidence-based practices, and innovative strategies occurring in Maryland, and to house links to other state and local resources. The website will be dynamic and evolve as new information and areas of interest emerge.

9. Complete the hiring process for the TN-SCCPP’s staff, prioritizing the need for behavioral health specialists. Significant attention in the early years of the TN-SCCPP will be directed to facilitating SIM at the jurisdiction level. The TN-SCCPP will be the primary facilitators of this effort, which will require personnel to be trained to facilitate SIM but also time devoted to education and outreach efforts to promote the benefits of SIM, connecting with local stakeholders, agencies, and organizations to participate in SIM, and to provide ongoing technical support to those jurisdictions engaging in the SIM process. This trust-building process will require the full staff to support continued and constant efforts, particularly in the early years as the process builds momentum across the State.

10. Identify all current and relevant sources of data in Tennessee on behavioral health and justice involvement at the state and jurisdiction levels. To support the development of comprehensive data infrastructures, the TN-SCCPP will need to engage early in an effort to identify current sources and types of information collected, as well as coverage periods, for behavioral health and justice involvement data. Building an understanding of current data efforts will allow the TN-SCCPP to work with stakeholders to establish protocols for data collection and governance across agencies and jurisdictions (e.g., use the System Identification (SID) numbers), to effectively use data to draw insights to promote public safety and inform decision making, and to evaluate programs.

11. Identify all current agencies, working groups, task forces, and advisory groups in Tennessee aimed at the intersection of behavioral health and public safety. Meeting the needs of individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis and reducing their interactions with the justice system are key concerns in Tennessee, as is evidenced by the variety of organizations aimed at addressing this challenge. To capitalize on the strength of these efforts, the TN-SCCPP should conduct a comprehensive review of existing workgroups, task forces, advisory groups, and partnerships to document mission, membership, current objectives, and status (active and inactive) to leverage accumulated knowledge; identify points of opportunity and potential redundancy; and develop a communication platform for ongoing collaboration.

FAMILY INCARCERATION BENEFIT AGREEMENT (FIBA):

Examine the impact of parental incarceration on children, the role of family support programs in servicing inmate family needs, and program models for incarcerated parents.

(a) Family support programs emphasize a proactive approach to the prevention of family problems. Typical program components are life skills training, parent information classes and support groups, parent-child groups, information and referral services, family crisis intervention, and auxiliary support services. Family support programs have a role to play in meeting the needs of both parents and children occasioned by the incarceration of the parent. Needs spawned by incarceration are the child's loss of contact with the parent, the stress of the sudden departure of the parent, the lack of clear information on what has happened to the parent, the preoccupation of the remaining parent, minimal support groups, and the isolation experienced by the remaining parent and the children. Program models for families with an incarcerated parent vary, but all have the underlying premise that a parent needs to continue to be a parent even while incarcerated. Family support programs help inmates continue to function as family members and learn new ways of coping with the stresses and emotional issues they will face when released from prison. The five models of programs for incarcerated parents are basic services to inmates' families, activities that strengthen and maintain inmate mothers' relationships with their children, a nursery in a corrections facility, a program that aids women in a work release program, and support groups for parents recently released from prison and their children.

(b) Family Unity Network: Incarcerated people are not isolated individuals. They come from families; they are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They have sisters and brothers. Their incarceration impacts their families. These relationships influence their lives while inside as well as their success upon release. Maintaining strong family relationships during incarceration benefits everyone. The Family Unity Network’s purpose is to maintain and strengthen family relationships during and after incarceration.

(c) Family Unity Network Committee will meet with parents in prison who struggle daily to maintain relationships with their families. We talk with children who wish they knew their parents, and we work within communities decimated by incarceration and missing mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. As a result, we developed the Bill of Rights for Incarcerated Parents, a call to change policies and practices that put punishment over rehabilitation, family separation over reunification.

Atwater's Will Go Beyond These Generic Programs:

• Types of Family Programs & Resources

  • Support & Education: The Prison Families Alliance offers free monthly virtual and in-person peer support meetings and workshops for families. Extended Family provides community-based support systems.

  • Children and Youth Support: Angel Tree provides mentorship and resources for children of incarcerated parents.

  • Reentry & Family Reunification: The Take One program in Tennessee works with nonprofits to mentor families for a year, starting 6-12 months before release.

  • Visitation Support: The Family Reconciliation Center in Nashville offers lodging and resources for people visiting loved ones in prison.

  • Advocacy & Rights: FAMM (Families Against Mandatory Minimums) fights for fair sentencing and advocates for families. The Family Unity Project works on behalf of incarcerated parents to maintain contact with their children.

  Common Program Components
  Family support programs, often funded through the Second Chance Act and Department of Health and Human Services, frequently include:

  • Parenting classes and support groups.

  • Parent-child relationship enhancement activities.

  • Family crisis intervention.

  • Life skills training for both incarcerated individuals and their families.

BILL OF RIGHTS FOR INCARCERATED PARENTS/INDIVIDUALS:

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

The State of Tennessee does not Official Bill of Rights for Incarcerated Parents/Individuals. These individuals' rights are protected under the U. S. Constitution and the Tennessee Constitution. It is my wish to have all judicial proceedings videotaped, whether civil or criminal.

(a) Incarcerated individuals in Tennessee have specific rights protected by the state constitution, state laws, and Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) policies. Key protections include protection from "unnecessary rigor" (TN Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 13), access to medical care, basic hygiene, and rehabilitation programs, alongside protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

(b) Constitutional Protection: Article I, Section 13 of the Tennessee Constitution dictates that "no person arrested and confined in jail shall be treated with unnecessary rigor".

(c) TDOC Policy: The TDOC Inmate Handbook outlines rights to respectful, impartial, and fair treatment, alongside responsibilities.

(d) Health and Safety: Tennessee law mandates medical care for prisoners, including specific prenatal care and nutrition for pregnant inmates (TN Code § 41-4-115).

(e) Hygiene & Grooming: Regulations require that inmates have access to hygiene materials, including free feminine hygiene products for women, and rules on personal grooming (TDOC rules, Tennessee Corrections Institute).

(f) Incarcerated individuals/parents must be protected against any sexual abuse: PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT (PREA) & INMATE/STAFF MISCONDUCT. It is the policy of the TDOC to provide a safe, humane, and appropriately secure environment, free from threat of sexual abuse and sexual harassment for all inmates. This is achieved by maintaining a program of prevention, detection, response, investigation, and tracking of all alleged and substantiated sexual assaults. TDOC has zero tolerance for incidents of sexual abuse and sexual harassment within the facilities.

(g) Re-entry & Rehabilitation: Recent Tennessee legislation (e.g., Re-entry Success Act) focuses on rehabilitation and transitioning inmates to lower-security or community settings.

(h) Incarcerated individuals/parents have the Right to address any and every complaint about conditions in a jail/prison, which must first be addressed through the existing grievance system in the facility where the event/issue occurred. This must be done before any other step can be taken to address your concern, including filing a lawsuit against the facility.

(i) Have the Right to medical care If an incarcerated person files a request for medical assistance, they should retain a file copy and include the following information:

1. their symptoms;

2. the date on which medical care was requested;

3. the type of medical care required;

4. the last date on which medical care was received;

5. what type of care was provided and by whom?

6. the names of the inmate and of the institution;

7. the date the inmate arrived in the institution;

8. the expected date of release;

(j) Incarcerated individuals/parents have an absolute right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. In determining whether something is cruel and unusual, courts look to whether: (1) the punishment shocks the general conscience of a civilized society; (2) whether the punishment is unnecessarily cruel; and (3) the punishment goes beyond legitimate penal aims. However, this is a difficult standard to meet, as courts today generally require direct proof showing harm resulting from the prison condition.

(k) While incarcerated individuals/parents do lose many rights, they still retain fundamental liberties, and these cannot be denied without due process. Before a person can be penalized for disciplinary violations, they must be informed of the charges against them at least 24 hours before a hearing, and have the right to call witnesses and present documents in their defense. They have the right to an impartial hearing and may submit a written statement.

(l) Incarcerated individuals/parents lose many, but not all, of their constitutional rights during their incarceration. For example, subject to significant limitations, prison officials must accommodate inmates' right to free exercise of religion and their right of access to the courts.

(m) Religious Freedom The First Amendment guarantees all people the right to exercise their religious beliefs. Prisons can place some conditions on an inmate’s exercise of religious beliefs, but only if the restrictions are reasonably related to legitimate penological interests. Nevertheless, inmates can practice their religions. Inmates can have Bibles and attend religious services. Muslims, Jews, Native Americans, and other minority groups have the same right to exercise their religion, but prisons are not required to give them special privileges. Prisons must make reasonable provisions for the dietary needs of Muslim or Jewish prisoners.

(n) Privacy: Prison officials have a right to search inmates’ cells and any personal belongings without a warrant. Prisons can control inmates’ personal appearances, including clothes, hair, etc. Most inmates, male and female, still retain some degree of privacy in intimate affairs like showering or using the toilet. Prison officials do not need to have probable cause in order to search an inmate, and prison officials can engage in “shakedown” searches of housing areas or cells. Searches must be conducted in a reasonable manner and shouldn’t result in damage to an inmate’s property. Prison officials may engage in strip or body cavity searches after contact visits; however, these should not be conducted in the presence of guards of the opposite sex. Where prison officials seize inmate property, they must give the prisoner a receipt for the seized property, a statement of the reason for the seizure, and the opportunity to challenge the decision.

(o) Incarcerated parents have a Right to Medical Care: Lack of adequate medical care is one of the more common prison complaints we receive. Most prisons’ medical facilities are understaffed, and therefore, minor ailments often get ignored. Nevertheless, inmates have a right to adequate medical care. Unfortunately, the current political climate promotes the belief that society should get tougher on prisoners and take away the few privileges they have available. Overcrowding and reduced funding has led to reduced medical staff, facilities and materials, and reduced medical care for inmates. However, courts have ruled that a prisoner’s medical treatment violates the constitution only where prison authorities have shown “deliberate indifference” to an inmate’s “serious” medical condition.

Courts have provided relatively little in the way of concrete relief to prisoners because most cases have involved disputes between prisoners and prison medical staff about whether the medical treatment was sufficient. The courts often believe the testimony of the doctors and other prison officials over inmates. To succeed in court, inmates must show that prison officials knew of the inmate’s serious medical need, and did nothing to alleviate it. Negligence on the part of medical personnel is not generally sufficient to demonstrate “deliberate indifference.” Inmates who believe their serious medical needs are not being met should document their situation as extensively as possible and take advantage of the grievance procedure. They should keep copies of all letters, grievances and responses.

(p) Incarcerated individuals/parents have the Rights of HIV Treatment: HIV-positive inmates are entitled to adequate treatment, and should be seen by a doctor with experience treating HIV.

(q) Incarcerated individuals/parents have the Rights to ADA accommodation: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires entities to make reasonable accommodations for a person’s known disability unless the accommodation would impose an “undue burden” on the program. An individual analysis must be made with every request for accommodation, and its reasonableness must be determined on a case-by-case basis.

(r) SEGREGATION: Prison officials may place inmates in segregated housing as punishment for misconduct, to prevent future misconduct, or for protection from harm by other prisoners. While there are constitutional limits to confinement in isolation, inmates can be kept in segregation for indefinite periods of time as long as there is continued justification for the placement. Courts have held that inmates lose many services in segregation that are afforded to inmates in the general population, including yard time and educational programs. While segregated inmates cannot be held in conditions that are unsanitary or unhealthful, they do not need to be granted all the services given to general population inmates. Courts have held that inactivity, lack of companionship, and boredom do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment. However, strip cell confinement has been found unconstitutional in a number of situations, as has the absence of light, ventilation, or sanitation. Segregated prisoners must receive adequate food and medical care. They must also be afforded adequate access to legal materials, but as long as materials can be brought to the inmates’ cells, segregated prisoners do not need to be taken to the law library. Likewise, segregated inmates cannot be deprived entirely of their right to religious practice, but may not be entitled to attend religious services.

The best way to keep families together and achieve reunification is to reduce the use of punishment and incarceration as a means of solving social problems. Mass incarceration has the collateral consequence of separating hundreds of thousands of Tennessee’s children from their parents, many of them losing their parents and extended families entirely through adoption.

Atwater will focus on the work that is based on the idea that people in prison have a human right to family to make informed decisions about their children, have contact with them and have a say on who those children live with.

• Support parental rights of incarcerated mothers and fathers.

• Expand visiting and other programs to maintain family bonds.

• Improve conditions of confinement for women who give birth while incarcerated.

• End long-term solitary confinement.

• Advocate for real alternatives to incarceration and parole.

• Restore a meaningful standard of judicial review.

• Prohibit denials of visiting:

• Prohibit denying visits for these reasons:

  (1) as a disciplinary measure for incarcerated folks (except for rule violations directly related to visiting security);

  (2) based on omissions or errors on visiting applications as relating to visitors’ criminal history (dates, charge, and outcome); and

• Ensure that visitation can only be restricted or denied for the following reasons:

  (1) Specified convictions

  (2) The incarcerated individual is housed in administrative-segregation or the Security Housing Unit

  (3) A serious (or attempted) rule violation pertaining to visiting,

  such as:

  • bringing contraband into the visiting area,

  • engaging in sexual conduct with a minor or adults outside of the family visit,

  • committing physical violence during a visit or visit screening,

  • escaping or aiding an escape,

  • etc.

• Reinstate incarcerated persons’ contact visits that were previously taken away due to reasons unrelated to visiting.

• Codify a minimum of three in-person visiting days a week.

Specifically delineates how and why visits may be restricted or denied to inmates. It would:

• Require TDOC to provide a written explanation of the reasons an application to visit is denied, and permit a prospective visitor to reapply after 30 days.

• Outline categories of conduct and grant institutional authorities the ability to discern what specific acts are forbidden, particularly in relation to sexual conduct.

• Permit refusal of video calls with a minor if evidence that an incarcerated individual may engage in inappropriate sexual conduct is found.

• It eliminates the “candor trap” that occurs when prospective visitors are required to detail their history of contact with law enforcement in their application to visit and then denied when they make innocent mistakes.

• It recognizes that all visiting may be suspended during a public health emergency. Under such circumstances, video calls may be offered as a substitute for in-person visits.

(s) Incarcerated individuals/parent will have the benefit of the reunification of families through visitation, which offers incarcerated individuals the opportunity to cultivate strong relationships and support systems that, in turn, reduce recidivism and improve in-custody conduct. This helps avoid costly reincarceration and disciplinary and security proceedings in prisons. Additionally, family visits benefit the development of children with incarcerated parents and reduce intergenerational cycles of incarceration, thus lowering social service spending and fostering healthier Tennessee communities.

(t) Incarcerated individuals/parents have the Right to reconsideration of current barriers to maintaining family bonds during incarceration:

• No family member should find out their loved one has passed away through a TDOC or CoreCivic website.

• Visits are treated as a privilege rather than a right: they are denied for disciplinary reasons unrelated to visiting or for simple paperwork errors.

• Family members with histories of arrest or conviction unrelated to visiting security can be denied visits, further dividing heavily policed communities and families impacted by mass incarceration.

• Visits can be very expensive and time-consuming. Many individuals in Tennessee are incarcerated hundreds of miles away from their homes, and visits require travel.

• Visitors often face long waiting times that use up limited visiting hours.

• Visitors can be turned away or removed for petty reasons: wearing a V-neck shirt, having inadequate documentation, or holding hands with their loved one for too long.

• The screening process can be aggressive and intimidating to visitors, especially children; it can include contraband searches of minors and strip searches of women by correctional staff.

• Families of individuals who get sick in custody, including individuals who have died of COVID-19, often receive no notice or opportunity to call or visit their loved one.

• Phone and video calls are limited and, historically, grossly overpriced. TDOC should take steps to increase such access and reduce costs, and those gains need to be guaranteed by law.

TDOC Official Rights for Inmates:

INMATE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES/TITLE VI/GRIEVANCES (Policies #103.10, #118.01, #501.01, #501.02, #507.02)

We believe that, within required security restrictions, inmates of the TDOC have certain rights and responsibilities.

• You have the right to be treated respectfully, impartially, and fairly by all TDOC personnel. You have the responsibility to treat other people respectfully as well.

• You have the right to be informed of the rules, procedures, programs, and normal schedules concerning the operation of the institution. You have the responsibility to obey them. You will have access to all institutional programs and services available for your custody level without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, political views, or disability. The Tennessee Department of Corrections does not discriminate in any aspect of its supervision of inmates relative to the above factors.

• You have the right to freedom of religious affiliation and voluntary religious worship within the schedule of facility operation.

• You have the right to healthcare, food, clothing, personal hygiene needs, exercise, and housing. You have the responsibility not to abuse these rights.

• You have the privilege to visit and correspond with family members and friends according to your custody level. You may also correspond with members of the media in keeping with the facility rules and schedules. You have the right to uncensored and uninspected outgoing correspondence through the prison mail system except under conditions noted in Policy #507.02. All incoming mail and correspondence, excluding privileged mail, may be opened and read by staff. Privileged mail may be opened by staff members in the presence of the inmate in order to examine the contents for contraband.

• You have the right to unrestricted and confidential access to the courts by correspondence (on matters such as the legality of your conviction, civil matters, pending cases, and conditions of your imprisonment). You have the responsibility to not abuse this right.

• You have the right of access to legal counsel from an attorney of your choice by interview and correspondence. You have the responsibility not to abuse this right.

• You have the right to be provided with certain resources for legal access to the courts, the claims commission, and legal counsel without reprisal or penalty. You have the responsibility to use the resources properly.

• You have the right to unrestricted correspondence with the Commissioner of Correction and/or his/her staff. Correspondence with the Commissioner’s office will be through the U.S. mail system, and you are required to provide the necessary postage.

You have the right under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which states that “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” The Tennessee Department of Corrections requires that its services be offered to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, or national origin. Prohibited practices include:

• Denying or failing to provide services or providing inferior services, separate, or different services to individuals based on race, color, or national origin.

• Segregating or restricting individuals in any way related to the receipt of services or benefits based on race, color, or national origin.

• Requiring different standards or conditions for acceptance into programs based on race, color, or national origin.

• Permitting discriminatory activity based on race, color, or national origin.