Department of Correction
Derrick D. Schofield, Commissioner

Since October 2004, the TREC Wall of Progress has continued to grow. A few of the most significant accomplishments include:

2005 Accomplishments

Established two transition centers - one male and one female facility. These programs are thriving.

Established the Transition Accountability Plan (TAP.) This was the first attempt to ensure needed programming was delivered to inmates.

2006 Accomplishments

Implemented the Technical Violator Center at the Wayne County facility.

Implemented four stand alone cognitive based programs (Thinking For A Change) at three facilities.

Implemented seven stand alone victim impact classes at six different facilities.

Initiated the Faith In Corrections Conference with over 200 people in attendance. It continues today across the state on an annual basis.

Added approximately 300 additional TC slots for drug addicted offenders with additional RSAT funding at three different institutions.

2007 Accomplishments

Established a college program at TPFW in association with Lipscomb University. It continues today.

In partnership with the Department of Labor, we established the Global Career Development Facilitators Training for TDOC staff.

Implemented the Change Is Possible grant at TPFW and MLCC which focused on female reentry issues.

Established the process for Veterans Affairs representatives visiting TDOC inmates to determine present and future benefit eligibility.

Established a data sharing program with Department of Human Services to identify inmates who have child support responsibilities. DHS does not suspend a driver's license for inmates who are incarcerated and behind on support payments.

Received the Staying Home grant to serve up to 200 offenders.

2008 Accomplishments

THDA granted TREC partners at The Next Door $500,000 to expand housing for female offenders and their children. Twenty new apartments were established in Nashville for those female participants.

Applied for, received and implemented the Nashville Works grant to serve 250 offenders.

Established the process in partnership with Department of Safety for inmates to receive a valid ID prior to release.

Established the National Career Readiness pilot program at MCCX. This program is now state wide which will result in 4000 offenders being tested and rated.

Received the AmeriCorps VISTA grant to establish a mentoring program for inmates transitioning to the community. It is done in partnership with the Good Samaritan Network which provides mentors and other services to inmates. We now have 6 VISTA staff working across the state.

Established a 300 bed Correctional Treatment Academy at MCCX in the minimum security building. It is the first fully functional TC community with different treatment tracks in an entire unit.

TNHousingSearch.org (a free rental housing database) was established with the ability to search for housing special needs populations, including ex-offenders (contact Tennessee Housing Development Agency for assistance.)

Established a pilot program in partnership with Social Security Administration for eligible inmates to apply for SSI benefits prior to release.

Added additional grant funding for post secondary education for inmates at MCCX and NWCX.

2009 Accomplishments

Established and implemented the LS/CMI process for validated assessment of inmate risk/needs.

Established an automated Transition Assessment Plan (TAP-BIG) to identify appropriate programming that addresses the individual needs of each offenders.

Developed automated job registers to ensure offenders with the greatest need and who are closest to release receive priority for program placement.

Secured funding for a Motivational Interaction (MI) train the trainer program which will complement the LS/CMI assessment process.

2010 Accomplishments

Formally established 8 local TREC collaboratives (Chattanooga, Clarksville, Franklin County, Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville and Tri-Cities.)

Expanded the Career Readiness Certificate program in the state prisons. Over 600 certificates were awarded.

The Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (TDMHDD), in collaboration with TDOC and the Board of Probation and Parole, received a grant of $600,000 to reduce recidivism rates among incarcerated women with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.

2011 Accomplishments

Opened a 30-bed correctional release center in partnership with the Board of Probation and Parole and The Next Door, a non-profit service provider. This release center is the first of its kind in Tennessee and was honored by the White House as a "Champion of Change."

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Career Coaches began visiting Tennessee prisons to provide employment services to offenders approaching their release date. The Career Coaches are mobile centers with services similar to what you might find in the Tennessee Career Center, including resume and job search assistance.

A co-occurring program was established at both the Tennessee Prison for Women and the Charles Bass Correctional Complex to target the needs of those offenders diagnosed with substance abuse and mental health conditions.

We would like to encourage you to join in the effort. If you have a matter that concerns TREC, please send us an email.