By: Tracy Harris Staff Writer
The Leadership Marshall class visited Nashville on Thursday, March 13 for State Government Day.
The first stop of the day was the Tennessee Capitol where they were greeted by Secretary of State Tre Hargett. Throughout the morning, speakers presented to the class from different branches of state government including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Tourist Development amongst others.
Representative Todd Warner, Senator Joey Hensley, and Rick Williams, Field Representative for Andy Ogles dropped in to give legislative updates and take questions.
The class spent the afternoon touring Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. The prison is has 20 different buildings with over 300,000 square feet of operating space. Participants in Leadership Marshall had a chance to see firsthand the unique Braille Transcription Program through the Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative In Correction (TRICOR) where offenders transcribe regular textbooks into braille and large print for students at Tennessee School for the Blind. Offenders can become certified in braille transcription through the National Library of Congress.
They also spoke with offenders in a general population unit- including one man who recently had his death row sentence overturned!
Leadership Marshall has toured Riverbend since 1996 when the program began.
