Editorial: Smart approach to inmate overcrowding; 5/22/2008
WACO TRIBUNE: Texas always is playing catch-up on prison overcrowding, with its only response being building more cellblocks. That needs to change. The McLennan County commissioners say they are being forced to look into building a $40 million to $60 million, 1,000-bed facility. Counties throughout Texas have the same problem. It’s all related to prison sentencing, and Texas can’t build its way out of of it. From 1988 to 1995, Texas taxpayers funded more than 90,000 state prison beds with about $2.3 billion in bonds. That was followed by a massive prison-building program of the 1990s. Nonetheless, state prisons shortly were bulging at the seams again and Texas’ county jails were overcrowded with state-ready inmates.
New county jail among options in inmate overcrowding; 5/21/2008
WACO TRIBUNE: With memories of 1981 still fresh in most of their minds, McLennan County commissioners faced the inevitable Tuesday: Their overcrowded county jail is only getting worse. The solution, they say, may mean a new jail. When county officials opened their $7 million downtown jail 27 years ago, it was supposed to serve McLennan County until 2000. However, the day prisoners moved in, it was already one inmate over capacity — plus a prisoner set his bunk on fire. As commissioners, County Judge Jim Lewis and Sheriff Larry Lynch deal with the latest jail overcrowding crisis, they hope to employ a clearer crystal ball than their predecessors had when planning for the future. County officials are also mindful of the forced construction of the county jail on State Highway 6 in 1986.
Staff Shortages at Lynaugh and Fort Stockton Units; 5/16/2008
NEWS WEST 9: FORT STOCKTON- Last month the Texas Department of Criminal Justice started offering $1,500 dollar incentives for new correctional officers heading to work at under staffed prisons like the Lynaugh and Fort Stockton Units in Pecos County. Despite the extra incentive, housing shortages and fuel costs are making it tough to recruit. "I am just concerned about my staff, because like I say they're working tired and they get compensated but sometimes that's not enough," Warden W.E. Walker, said.
Texas Senate Calls Hearings Over Prison Corruption; 5/15/2008
HOUSTON.COM: Texas prison leaders have been called to testify at state Senate hearings in response to Local 2 Investigates' reporting on corruption behind bars. "We've got some systemic problems and this might be the tip of the iceberg," said Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston), chair of the powerful Senate Criminal Justice Committee. He called for the hearings in response to a series of reports by Local 2 Investigates, outlining a pattern of corruption allegations being met with questionable handling by prison leaders at the Terrell prison unit near Rosharon in Brazoria County.
Local 2 Investigates Charges Of Prison Corruption; 5/2/2008
HOUSTON.COM: Tonight, state lawmakers are reacting to what Local 2 Investigates uncovered inside a Houston-area prison. It all centers around the C.T. Terrell Unit near Rosharon in Brazoria County. Thursday, corrections officers spoke out -- saying their reports of serious crimes by fellow officers were ignored. Instead, they claim they felt the heat. State Rep. Jerry Madden, of Plano, the chair of the house committee overseeing prisons, received complaints from officers at Terrell. He's now watching to see how the Texas Department of Criminal Justice handles the situation.