Prison Tours

Prisons are a mystery to most people.  Very few citizens have had exposure to a prison environment other than what they have seen through movies and television.   The Tennessee Department of Correction offers tours to high schools, college groups, churches, and various organizations.

Requirements (each location may have additional requirements):

• All participants must be 16 years of age or older.
• Group numbers will be limited.
• All students must be accompanied by chaperones/sponsors.
• All participants must have a valid school or state issued ID.
• A list of all participates will be required in advance.
• Everyone in attendance will be processed through checkpoint before the tour.
• Review our personal property, dress code, and metal detector guidelines below.

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

NOTE:  In case of inclement weather, tours will not be held.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

All persons entering the facility shall be subject to search. State law prohibits weapons, alcohol, drugs and illegal contraband on state property (including the parking areas). Tour participants shall leave all personal items in their vehicles, with the exception of vehicle keys and one form of photo ID (preferred but not required for minors). No money, cell phones, pagers, etc., are allowed. Use of tobacco products is prohibited on state property. All tobacco products must remain in the vehicle.

DRESS CODE

All individuals entering the institution must be dressed appropriately. Undergarments must be worn. Midriffs and torsos must be covered. Shirts must have sleeves. Dresses, split skirts, and shorts must extend to the top of the knee. Attire that is revealing, made of spandex, or is transparent or translucent is considered to be inappropriate. Clothing with logos that contain pictures, slogans, or vulgarity, and any clothing determined by the processing officer to be associated with any Security Threat Group is inappropriate. (Association may be made by color combination, designs, or logos affixed to the clothing or how the clothing is being worn.) Camouflage attire, overalls, suspenders and tank tops are inappropriate. Shoes must be worn. NO FLIP FLOPS.

METAL DETECTOR

All individuals entering the institution must clear the metal detector at checkpoint. Shoes or boots that contain metal will not clear the detector and will have to be removed. Excessive metal jewelry may set off the detector. Although these items are not prohibited, it is suggested that they not be worn because the time required for removing and replacing them will shorten your tour.