Dear Friend,

We have incredible news: The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on August 20 that it is opening a civil rights investigation into Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Tennessee, following multiple reports of violence and sexual misconduct there. The DOJ’s investigation will determine whether there is a pattern or practice of constitutional violations at Trousdale, and will look into whether Tennessee protects people incarcerated at the facility from harm.

FAMM learned of the horrific conditions at Trousdale Turner from our members who have loved ones there or were incarcerated there themselves. They told us about gang influence, extortion, fatal overdoses, substandard medical care, homicides, and more. One wrote: “Inmates are constantly getting stabbed, raped, and neglected by lack of necessities and supervis[ion]. Please do something to save our loved ones from this place.”

FAMM answered the call. We wrote to the DOJ and called for this investigation back in September of 2023. Then, we worked hard to help make it happen. Our Policy and General Counsel teams shared information with the DOJ, including appalling Trousdale first-person accounts collected by our Storytelling department. This work was an organization-wide effort, and now, those harmed by both Trousdale Turner and state negligence may finally see justice.

The work, however, is not finished. FAMM is reaching out to our partners and families to collect and ensure that accounts of Trousdale’s abuses are sent to the DOJ, which has set up a hotline and email address for just this purpose. Please consider giving a special one-time gift to FAMM to both celebrate this victory and to assist us with this next step in our work: https://act.famm.org/a/donate?ms=email

Thank you,