Charging Inmates for Issued Items-Workhouse

Any county may, by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the county legislative body, establish and implement a plan authorizing the workhouse superintendent to charge an inmate committed to the county workhouse a fee, not to exceed the actual cost, for items issued to the inmate upon each new admission to the county workhouse. T.C.A. § 41-4-142(a).

Additionally, any county may, by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of its county legislative body, establish and implement a plan authorizing the workhouse superintendent to charge an inmate committed to the workhouse a nominal fee set by the county legislative body at the time of adoption for the following special services, when provided at the inmate's request:

1. Participation in GED or other scholastic testing for which the administering agency charges a fee for each test administered;
2. Escort by correctional officers to a hospital or other health care facility for the purpose of visiting an immediate family member who is a patient at such facility; or
3. Escort by correctional officers for the purpose of visiting a funeral home or church upon the death of an immediate family member.

T.C.A. § 41-4-142(b).

A plan adopted pursuant to T.C.A. § 41-4-142(a) or (b) may authorize the workhouse superintendent to deduct the amount from the inmate's workhouse trust account or any other account or fund established by or for the benefit of the inmate while incarcerated.  Nothing in T.C.A. § 41-4-142 shall be construed as authorizing the workhouse superintendent to deny necessary clothing or hygiene items or to fail to provide the services specified in T.C.A. § 41-4-142(b) based on the inmate's inability to pay such fee or costs. T.C.A. § 41-4-142(c).