For state lawmakers and Gov. Don Sunquist, the decision is fast approaching about whether or not to build a prison in Weakley County.

The governor proposed the 10-year, $286 million prison construction program in 1996. The administration projected that the state would need more than 6,000 additional prison beds by 2001.

The governor first tried to have the prison built in the area of Carroll County. When that idea was rejected, Gov. Sunquist decided to try Weakley County.

What would building a new prison mean for the people of Weakley County?

Donna Massey, Professor of Criminal Justice in the Sociology Department at UTM had some answers.

Massey's background in criminal justice is extensive. Her emphasis is in juvenile justice.

She has worked in juvenile prisons, juvenile detention centers and she has worked for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Ms. Massey was asked how building a prison in Weakley County would boost the economy.

“A new prison would bring new jobs to Weakley County. It's interesting, recently the Sociology department conducted a survey of our graduates. What we found was that 86% of our graduates are working in the Corrections field.” she said. “Forty-three percent were working in law enforcement, and 43% were working in correction facilities.

So if the county builds a prison it will bring new jobs to the county and to UTM students.

It would also create opportunities for internships in the Sociology and Corrections departments."

Next Massey was asked what she thought about the phobias people believe exist when a new prison is built in your area such as, if a prisoner escapes would they break into my home?

Massey said, "Someone escaping from prison first of all is a rare thing, however if an inmate did escape the likelihood of that prisoner hanging around our area is extremely unlikely.

When someone escapes from prison they want to get as far away from the prison as quickly as possible.

So, the way the media portrays inmates that escape from prison and get into someone's home is, in reality, highly unlikely."

Massey then provided some statistics about inmates in Tennessee.

The population of prison inmates in Tennessee consists of 16,727 males and 1,030 females.

Out of the inmates 19.6 percent of the inmates committed a homicide, 15.2 percent committed a sex crime, 12.2 committed a drug offense and 20 percent committed a murder.

Jim Kyle, a Senator from Memphis, TN, is the chairman of the corrections oversight committee for building the new prison in the Weakley County area.

If any students at UTM have an opinion about a prison being built in our area, Mr. Kyle is the person to contact. Also, Representative Phillip Pinion is on the oversight committee.

For further information about prison statistics in Tennessee you can go to the Tennessee corrections website at: www.state.tn.us/correction/

Contact your State Representatives

James F. Kyle, Jr. P. O. Box 22704 Memphis, TN 38122 10 Legislative Plaza Nashville, TN 37243-0028 Phone (615) 741-4167 Fax (615) 253-0221 Staff Contact: Marsha Milan

Phillip Pinion 2103 Stonewall Union City, TN 38261 Phone (731) 885-9175
109 War Memorial Building Nashville, TN 37243-0177 Phone (615) 741-0718 Staff Contact: Audrey Jenkins