(a) Whenever a person convicted of a felony escapes from the custody of a penal institution, the appropriate warden, departmental official or law enforcement official responsible for the custody of the person shall immediately report the escape to the following persons:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-16-606

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Custody: means under arrest by a law enforcement officer or under restraint by a public servant pursuant to an order of a court. See Tennessee Code 39-16-601
  • Escape: means unauthorized departure from custody or failure to return to custody following temporary leave for a specific purpose or limited period, but does not include a violation of conditions of probation or parole. See Tennessee Code 39-16-601
  • Government: means the state or any political subdivision of the state, and includes any branch or agency of the state, a county, municipality or other political subdivision. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Penal institution: includes any institution or facility used to house or detain a person:
    (A) Convicted of a crime. See Tennessee Code 39-16-601
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(1) Commissioner of correction;
(2) Commissioner of safety;
(3) Director of the Tennessee bureau of investigation;
(4) The district attorney general of the judicial district in which the escape occurred;
(5) The district attorney general of the judicial district in which the escapee was convicted, who shall make a reasonable effort to notify the victim when the conviction was for a crime of violence;
(6) The sheriff of the county in which the escape occurred, and the sheriffs in the adjoining counties;
(7) The sheriff of the county or chief of police in any county having a metropolitan form of government where the escapee was convicted;
(8) The police department of any municipality, city or town, near the location of the escape; and
(9) All trial judges involved in the case.
(b) The report to the officials in subsection (a) shall include the facts of the escape, the time when it occurred and the circumstances under which it occurred, together with the particular description of the escapee, the escapee’s age, size, complexion, race, color of hair and eyes, and from what county committed, for what offense, and when.
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