Prison Tours

The Tennessee Department of Correction offers tours for professional and educational purposes to academic groups, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, local, state, or federal government agencies, and other public organizations.

Tours should be requested no less than one (1) month in advance and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Please note the group size in each tour may be limited and are subject to cancellation at the discretion of the warden.

To schedule a tour, contact a prison from the list below.

Requirements (each location may have additional requirements):

  • All participants must be 18 years of age or older.
  • All students must be accompanied by chaperones/sponsors.
  • All participants must have a valid school or state issued ID.
  • A list of all participants, including full legal name and date of birth, must be submitted to the facility seven (7) days in advance of the requested tour date.
  • Attendees must disclose any relationships with current TDOC inmates.  Individuals are prohibited from touring facilities where friends or family members are incarcerated.
  • Attendees must clear security checkpoint prior to entering the facility and may be subject to metal detector, full body scanner, and/or pat-down or wand search.
  • Attendees must be in compliance with the visitor dress code and personal property rules.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

Tour participants shall leave all personal items in their secured vehicles, except for one (1) vehicle key and one (1) form of photo ID.  No cash, credit cards, wallets, purses, cell phones, pagers, smart watches, air pods, etc. are allowed inside the facility.  The use of tobacco products, tobacco-related products, and tobacco substitutes are prohibited on state property.  Individuals must have tobacco products securely locked in their vehicles and out of view.  Drugs, alcohol, explosives, and edged weapons are prohibited

DRESS CODE

All individuals entering a facility must be dressed appropriately.  Clothing should fit in the appropriate manner and should not be provocative, suggestive, or revealing.   All visitors are required to wear undergarments and have their midriffs and torsos covered.  Shirts must have sleeves.  Dresses, split skirts, and shorts must extend to the top of the knee.  Open toed shoes are permitted but must have a heel-strap.  The following types of clothing are prohibited:

  • Garments made from spandex or spandex type fabrics.
  • Any clothing that is transparent or translucent in nature.
  • Sleeveless shirts and blouses.
  • Dresses or clothing exposing a bare chest or midriff.
  • Camouflage attire.
  • Worn or tattered clothing with holes, including jeans.
  • Clothing with logos that contain pictures, slogans, vulgarity, tobacco/alcohol references, or contain signs or symbols of security threat groups.
  • Splits in dresses or skirts that extend three inches above the knee, or slits which cause the entire dress or skirt to be above three inches above the knee.
  • Bandannas.
  • Excessive clothing such as two pairs of pants, extra shirts, etc.
  • Excessive jewelry.
  • Steel/Composite-toed shoes, shower shoes, flip flops.

METAL DETECTOR/FULL BODY SCANNER

Staff, visitors, volunteers, and all other personnel are required to abide by current security protocols.  These include walking through a metal detector and allowing all belongings, outerwear, and shoes to pass through an x-ray machine.  Individuals will also be required to undergo a pat-down or wand search.  Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Correction requires every person entering a TDOC facility to be screened by a full body scanner. 

TDOC screening technology is safe and meets national health and safety standards.  Individuals with a pacemaker or in a wheelchair, children sixteen (16) years of age or younger, pregnant individuals or those who think they may be pregnant, will not be required to clear the body scanner.  Individuals with other mobility or physical conditions preventing the use of the body scanner will be required to undergo all other security measures and must submit documentation (doctor's note, etc.) at least 7 days prior to the scheduled tour.


Contact the Associate Warden of Treatment at (423) 881-6118.

Contact the Administrative Secretary at (615) 741-4664.

Contact the Warden's Office at (615) 350-3802.

Contact the Executive Secretary at (901) 531-1805.

Contact the Executive Secretary to the Warden at (423) 346-1308.

Contact the Associate Warden of Security at (423) 727-3353.

Contact NWCX at (731) 253-5268.

Contact the Associate Warden of Security at (615) 350-1103.

For the main complex, contact the Associate Warden of Security Secretary at (931) 729-6691.

For the annex, contact the Secretary of the Associate Warden at (931) 676-2915.

Contact the Associate Warden of Treatment at (731) 738-1642.

Contact the Executive Secretary at (731) 738-1634.