Tennessee § 41-2-101 - Workhouses authorized.

§ 41-2-101. Workhouses authorized.

The counties, through their county legislative bodies, are authorized and empowered to establish, construct and maintain portable, movable or stationary workhouses, as the legislative bodies may, in their discretion and wisdom, deem advisable for the best interest of the county. Prisoners receiving workhouse sentences by the circuit or criminal court of the county shall be sentenced to the workhouse as may be provided by the county legislative body. The county legislative body may provide the lands, buildings and articles of any kind as may be necessary for a workhouse for the county. The counties shall have the authority under subsection (a), this subsection (c) and § 41-2-103 to establish, construct and maintain portable or moving workhouses for the convenience of working prisoners upon the public highways and in working out their sentences in any labor assigned them. Acts 1891, ch. 123, § 1; Acts 1907, ch. 445, §§ 1, 2; Shan., §§ 7398, 7399a1, 7399a2; Code 1932, §§ 12004, 12009, 12010; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 36; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 41-1201, 41-1203, 41-1204. Cross-References. Corrections volunteer services, title 41, ch. 10. Counselors for educational and correctional institutions, qualifications, § 8-50-105 . Road work by prisoners, § 41-2-123 . Textbooks. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 8 Tenn. Juris., Costs § 14, 21 Tenn. Juris., Prisons and Prisoners, §§ 8, 9. Law Reviews. Liability of State Officials and Prison Corporations for Excessive Use of Force Against Inmates of Private Prisons, 40 Vand. L. Rev. 983 (1987). Selected Tennessee Legislation of 1986, 54 Tenn. L. Rev. 457 (1987). Attorney General Opinions. Requiring an inmate to prepay before being housed in a certain facility would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution, OAG 03-141, 2003 Tenn. AG LEXIS 162 (11/07/03). An alternative facility is permissible, but only if it is operated pursuant to a contract approved by the county legislative body, OAG 03-141, 2003 Tenn. AG LEXIS 162 (11/07/03). The use of alternative misdemeanor jail facilities may help eliminate overcrowding in a county jail, OAG 03-141, 2003 Tenn. AG LEXIS 162 (11/07/03).