Key Points Corrections in Tennessee cost over 1billionannuallyduetoarisingincarcerationrate.TheState’sincreasingincarcerationrateisrelatedtothegrowthinsubstancemisusewhichonitsowncostsTennessee2 billion each year and leads to over $1 billion in lost income from a shrinking work force. Prioritizing evidence-based treatment that targets the underlying medical and behavioral issues driving addictive habits for justice-involved individuals could simultaneously address rising recidivism, reincarceration, and growing substance misuse.
See report attached, and for additional information, visit https://smart.tennessee.edu/policy-briefs/substance-misuse-incarceration-tn/