Tennessee prison fined over counting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee corrections officials fined a private prison company $43,750 because of problems it had counting inmates at a prison it operates, according to state documents.

The state Department of Correction levied the penalty against CoreCivic in May over a breach of contract related to the troubles at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a medium-security lockup in Hartsville that holds up to 2,552 men, a letter released in a public-records request shows.

According to state reports, officers weren’t counting correctly; inmates weren’t in the correct cells; and, in most cases, only one worker was counting inmates without another standing watch. The reports also said it was taking too long for officers to count and inmates were allowed to move around during count time.

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