tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post117357238234440992..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: House Corrections hears bills with more (or less) common senseGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-21281643435677031932008-04-29T11:01:00.000-05:002008-04-29T11:01:00.000-05:00I cam across this site by accident, but I am here ...I cam across this site by accident, but I am here to tell you that in 2008, nothing in the Texas criminal Justice Sysatem has change, if anything it's gotten worse. My son is in jail in Harris County, and each time he calls home it cost me $4.10 per call, and on top of it all I recently found out that Harris County Jail no longer allows them to purchase t-shirts and underwear or socks...then have been removed from the commisory list and now these items have to be passed down or sold to other detainees 2whe others are released.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1173810761261939692007-03-13T14:32:00.000-05:002007-03-13T14:32:00.000-05:00n.x.con ~ Terri Hodge has again proposed such a bi...n.x.con ~ Terri Hodge has again proposed such a bill. I dont have the # but it's in the list. The technology certainly does exist for inmates to be charged for calls via theor trust funds, with a limit on how many minutes they can use per month, because Federal inmates have that system. Installing a phone system in TDCJ would pay for itself within 2 years. I can see no logical argument against it, when even the victim support groups are now largely in favour of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1173704735180876202007-03-12T09:05:00.000-05:002007-03-12T09:05:00.000-05:00when will the lege come up with a bill to allow td...when will the lege come up with a bill to allow tdcj to install pay phones for inmates, rather than giving out "phone priveleges" based on the whims of a CO? The rates should be reasonable so as not to be a burden on the inmate's family. It would serve to keep the inmate connected to his/her family, and improve morale, thereby possibly reducing misbehavior. I imagine the technology exists that the inmate can even pay for the calls by using money from his/her trust fund account by swiping the id card.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1173640166037715722007-03-11T15:09:00.000-05:002007-03-11T15:09:00.000-05:00I give Chairman Madden credit. I see HB 203 was re...I give Chairman Madden credit. I see HB 203 was removed from the agenda. Good. Hopefully it was because the chairman recognized that the bill introduced by Rep. Menendez was blatantly unconstitutional. The Texas Legislature has no legal authority to order courts or parole boards to reopen cases previously adjudicated, in some instances where the sentence had already been completed, in order to impose additional punishment. That would be a clear violation of the constitutional provisions against double jeopardy and ex post facto. Congratulations are due to at least one state representative who apparently has read the constitution.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1173625920491981712007-03-11T11:12:00.000-05:002007-03-11T11:12:00.000-05:00You know my thoughts on distributing condoms in pr...You know my thoughts on distributing condoms in prison. I will be interested to see if it gets through, and how much misinformation and outright homophobic vitriol is expressed even behind hands, which ever way it goes. <BR/><BR/>Give the inmates (and their spouses!) an acceptable outlet for their sexual frustrations where possible (and where safe to do so ~ there are plenty of options for this that would not put COs at risk) and you will have better behaved inmates. It works in other states, notably California, so why not in Texas too? <BR/><BR/>Keep telling inmates that during visits they must not touch their wives above the wrist because it is deemed to be unacceptable behaviour, and sooner or later someone is going to loose their temper over it.<BR/><BR/>Tackle HIV Aids, education and poverty OUTSIDE prisons with kids before they get to TDCJ, and you wont have to spend so much putting sticking plasters on it all later.<BR/><BR/>Still waiting for the inmate phone bill....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com