Transfers & Finding Someone in Tennessee (TDOC)

Key info

New arrivals go through a reception and classification (diagnostic) center first — men to the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville and women to the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville (formerly the Tennessee Prison for Women) — for medical and mental-health screening, a custody/security classification, and program assessment before assignment to a permanent prison.

The listed prison can change after classification. Because the first prison is the reception center, the facility shown in the locator can change once the person is classified and transferred.

Find someone with the Felony Offender Information Lookup (FOIL) at foil.app.tn.gov/foil, searching by name or TDOC ID number. FOIL covers people in TDOC custody (state-sentenced), not county-jail detainees.

The four CoreCivic-operated prisons — Trousdale Turner, South Central, Hardeman County, and Whiteville — hold TDOC-sentenced people and appear in FOIL the same way as state-run prisons.

Reception and classification

After sentencing, a newly committed person goes to a reception and classification (diagnostic) center for medical and mental-health screening, a custody/security classification, and a program assessment, then transfers to a permanent prison. Which center depends on sex:

Men: the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex (Pikeville).
Women: the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center (Nashville), formerly the Tennessee Prison for Women.

During reception, visiting and other privileges are limited, and the prison shown in the locator can change once the person is classified and transferred to a permanent facility.

State prison or county jail

FOIL covers people in TDOC custody — those serving state-sentenced time — including in the four CoreCivic-operated prisons: Trousdale Turner, South Central, Hardeman County, and Whiteville. These four hold TDOC-sentenced people and appear in FOIL the same way as state-run prisons.

A person sentenced to state time may still be physically held in a county jail awaiting transfer to a TDOC prison — known as a “backup.” County jails are a separate system and are not in FOIL. To locate someone in a county jail, search that county’s roster.

Finding someone

To find where someone is held, use the Felony Offender Information Lookup (FOIL) at foil.app.tn.gov/foil, searching by name or TDOC ID number. FOIL covers people in TDOC custody (state-sentenced), not county-jail detainees. A person sentenced to state time who is not yet listed in FOIL may still be a backup in a county jail awaiting transfer; in that case, search the county’s roster.

Transfers and current location

A person may be transferred again later in the sentence for custody, medical, program, or disciplinary reasons. Transfers are TDOC decisions, and families are not always notified in advance. Because the location can change with transfers, confirm the current facility on FOIL before traveling, scheduling a visit, or sending mail.

Verify Before Acting

Confirm the current location and status on FOIL at foil.app.tn.gov/foil before traveling, scheduling a visit, or sending mail, searching by name or TDOC ID number. A newly committed person passes through a reception and classification center — the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex for men, the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center for women — before moving to a permanent prison, so the listed facility can change once the person is classified and transferred. TDOC may transfer a person again for custody, medical, program, or disciplinary reasons, and transfer timing and notification are set by TDOC. FOIL covers TDOC-sentenced people, including in the four CoreCivic-operated prisons (Trousdale Turner, South Central, Hardeman County, Whiteville), but not county-jail detainees; a person sentenced to state time may be held as a backup in a county jail awaiting transfer, so if they are not listed in FOIL, search that county’s roster.

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.