{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-408","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-408","heading":"Sexual contact with inmates","body":"(a) For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) \"Law enforcement officer\" and \"correctional employee\" include a person working in that capacity as a private contractor or employee of a private contractor; and (2) \"Volunteer\" means any person who, after fulfilling the appropriate policy requirements, is assigned to a volunteer job and provides a service without pay from the correctional agency, except for compensation for those expenses incurred directly as a result of the volunteer service. (b) It is an offense for a law enforcement officer, correctional employee, vendor or volunteer to engage in sexual contact or sexual penetration, as such terms are defined in § 39-13-501 , with a prisoner or inmate who is in custody at a penal institution as defined in § 39-16-601 , whether the conduct occurs on or off the grounds of the institution. (c) A violation of this section is a Class E felony. Acts 1997, ch. 388, § 1; T.C.A. § 41-21-241 ; Acts 2006, ch. 1005, § 2.\n(a) For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) \"Law enforcement officer\" and \"correctional employee\" include a person working in that capacity as a private contractor or employee of a private contractor; and (2) \"Volunteer\" means any person who, after fulfilling the appropriate policy requirements, is assigned to a volunteer job and provides a service without pay from the correctional agency, except for compensation for those expenses incurred directly as a result of the volunteer service.\n(1) \"Law enforcement officer\" and \"correctional employee\" include a person working in that capacity as a private contractor or employee of a private contractor; and\n(2) \"Volunteer\" means any person who, after fulfilling the appropriate policy requirements, is assigned to a volunteer job and provides a service without pay from the correctional agency, except for compensation for those expenses incurred directly as a result of the volunteer service.\n(b) It is an offense for a law enforcement officer, correctional employee, vendor or volunteer to engage in sexual contact or sexual penetration, as such terms are defined in § 39-13-501 , with a prisoner or inmate who is in custody at a penal institution as defined in § 39-16-601 , whether the conduct occurs on or off the grounds of the institution.\n(c) A violation of this section is a Class E felony.","path":["TN Code","Title 39","Chapter 16"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_tn_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:26Z","sha256":"9d4ba6be26555e17e5daef806761ba244d03ae85cbccaf7fe450818db31c0e20","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-407","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-409"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}