When it comes to Texas prisons, there is no real system. Instead, there is a mostly rural network of correctional facilities run by wardens with wide latitude to run “their” units as they see fit. It is essentially a patchwork quilt without uniform policies or procedures. The prime directive, on paper, is to promote positive […]
Outside Thoughts about Texas Prison Lockdown Read More »
UNDERSTAFFING??? “Experts blame lengthy lockdown on staffing shortages. A thousand people incarcerated at a maximum-security prison in Wisconsin have been on lockdown for four months. During that time, prisoners at the Waupun Correctional Institution say they’ve had to eat all meals in their cells, been refused visits from family and friends, and had illnesses go untreated
PRISON UNDERSTAFFING & the TDCJ 2030 PLAN Read More »
There has to be a way to hold decision-makers accountable for the consequences of their actions, or lack thereof. In the meantime, the injurious and deadly consequences of prisons without climate control continue. When I see my tax money subsidizing such a system, I am compelled to protest. And I’m one of many. Thanks to
TAXPAYER MONEY SUBSIDIZING AVOIDABLE INJURY AND DEATH Read More »
Folks all across the political spectrum agree that Texas prisons are in need of change. In fact, that’s the case around the country. Of course, agreement is just the first step and that is where the discussion usually ends. However, there are a few people who have thought through the issue and crafted a plan.
Ending Mass Incarceration Read More »
July 18 is Nelson Mandela Day. He spent 27 years in prison and said: “No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” Nelson Mandela remains a symbol of power by resisting oppression. In
Nelson Mandela Day Read More »
Each legislative session bills are filed to provide climate control for the living areas of the 65+ prisons that have none. Such bills received overwhelming support in the Texas House and then predictably died in the Senate. One consequence is that incarcerated individuals continue to die, and staff are negatively impacted as well. To date,
Overheated prisons impact staff as well Read More »
JULY 4 AND TEXAS PRISON CONDITIONS The Declaration of Independence is especially relevant to efforts to transform prisons into public agencies that promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. An incarcerated person has rightly or wrongly been deprived of their liberty. Responsibility for that person has been assigned to the state. When that state
July 4 and Prisons Read More »
There is more than one way to mitigate heat inside Texas prisons. Here’s a message I sent to Reps Sherman and Canales, the two elected officials who have advocated most strongly for humane prison conditions. PRISON HEAT – A PROPOSAL “My home does not include a carport or garage. Not enough shade either. So when I
Incarcerated individuals are dying in over heated prisons Read More »
In October 2022, a large number of residents in solitary confinement in Teas prisons, sent a proposal, via snail mail, to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Texas lawmakers outlining their concerns about living conditions. They identified what they considered inhumane conditions and recommended changes. Furthermore, they stated that if no response was received
Hunger Strike by Solitary Residents Read More »
FOOTBALL AND PRISONS “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” – Vince Lombardi” “By doing our best and applying that effort to a larger goal that benefits everyone, either directly or through a ripple effect of kindness, we make
Football and Prisons Read More »