Tennessee Voices, Episode 288: Tony Parker, former Department of Correction commissioner
This past year, Tennessee lawmakers and local officials debated over how long inmates should be incarcerated, leading to a new “truth-in-sentencing” state law.
However, even as this debate has been contentious, within the prison system, there has been a significant change over the decades on what is the purpose of corrections – from punishment to rehabilitation.
Tony Parker witnessed these changes over nearly four decades, starting as a correctional officer to retiring recently as Tennessee Department of Correction commissioner.
On this episode of the Tennessee Voices video podcast, Parker talked about advances in the field or corrections, what causes “criminogenic” behavior and why successful re-entry of former inmates into society is so important.
Parker is now the president of the Fourth Purpose Foundation and also president of the American Correction Association.
He explained how the role of correction is no longer supposed to be about “locking people up and turning the key.”
We also discussed the school-to-prison pipeline, the factors that lead people to commit crime and why mentorship matters.
Op-Ed by Tony Parker: Make the rehabilitation of Tennessee's former inmates personal
Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.
Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee.
Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee.
Your state. Your stories. Support more reporting like this.
A subscription gives you unlimited access to stories across Tennessee that make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you. Click here to become a subscriber.
About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
Please email your ideas for future guests to me at [email protected]. Thank you for watching.
Finally, our journalists are working hard during this pandemic to bring you accurate, verified and solid information. Please consider subscribing and supporting local journalism.
Watch past episodes: Tennessee Voices videocast
David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Voices: The evolution of corrections with Tony Parker
