tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post4891380105868052025..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Giving credit to blogs: Why it mattersGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-13957260710951702252007-09-18T17:32:00.000-05:002007-09-18T17:32:00.000-05:00Hey, Scott, I have been an Adult Probation officer...Hey, Scott, I have been an Adult Probation officer for over 22 years and have a year as a Juvenile counselor in California. I bet I could fix TYC. I don't even care about the $140,000 salary. I'm sure some of that salary could go to pay overworked and underpaid staff. Come to think of it, I'd rather fix Bexar counties problems first! Never mind.<BR/>KG-Bexar CountyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-30508605197784593042007-09-17T20:35:00.000-05:002007-09-17T20:35:00.000-05:00To 11:04: "but corrections whether ... in juvenil...To 11:04: "but corrections whether ... in juvenile or adult are corrections, correct?" Nope. Parts is not parts, and corrections is not corrections. The differences are enormous and anyone who says this has no experience in juvenile corrections.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-69787006276735012007-09-17T18:51:00.000-05:002007-09-17T18:51:00.000-05:0011:04, which TDCJ crony are you?11:04, which TDCJ crony are you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-55362506884853785662007-09-17T08:21:00.000-05:002007-09-17T08:21:00.000-05:00@7:35 - just for the record, the allegations to wh...@7:35 - just for the record, the allegations to which you refer about a personal relationship between Whitmire and D. Pope, as far as I know, are rumors that have not been confirmed. Commenters have alleged that on Grits, and I've heard it myself from several sources, but I've not seen it confirmed and have not published such allegations myself.<BR/><BR/>I mention this not to exonerate Sen. Whitmire, whose behavior at the last hearing was inexcusable whatever his motives, but only in the interest of accuracy and fact checking in an environment where rumors swirl pretty wildly. <BR/><BR/>Oh, and Dave - you definitely aren't one of the culprits, and I appreciate that. best,Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89135336907173103902007-09-17T07:58:00.000-05:002007-09-17T07:58:00.000-05:00As I stated in my book: the media will only report...As I stated in my book: the media will only report embarrassing truths after so many people already know them - and then they will spin the facts so as to protect the interests of those in power. That's what the "additional research" is always about. Find some mitigating circumstance to shelter the authority figure. I have found so many embarrassing facts that the media will adamantly refuse to report. Police and schools lying about drugs is just one of those. The irony is that testimonial evidence is confirmable while the total lack of scientific research by the DEA can't be that easily confirmed. Reading the Controlled Substances Act does imply certain objective standards even though they are no where to be found in the text. So the lapdogs refuse to report these facts while raving hysterical about the testimonial evidence of drug harm.JT Barriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15571868033521182864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-29905779527641695252007-09-17T01:01:00.000-05:002007-09-17T01:01:00.000-05:0011:04 - Incorrect. Even the Supreme Court can tel...11:04 - Incorrect. Even the Supreme Court can tell the difference.<BR/><BR/>A mentally ill 13 year old should never be treated the same way as a 30 year old drug user.<BR/><BR/>Ms. Pope isn't even a good manager. She's just good at "kissing up".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-83655636799413001192007-09-16T23:08:00.000-05:002007-09-16T23:08:00.000-05:00I would still like to know why Eddie Martinez the ...I would still like to know why Eddie Martinez the supt at Evins was let go?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-83466040549600405342007-09-16T23:04:00.000-05:002007-09-16T23:04:00.000-05:00Based upon what I have read in the blogs Dimitria ...Based upon what I have read in the blogs Dimitria Pope, has been in the criminal justice field for 23 years.<BR/><BR/>I would say with this much experience she is qualified for the job. I cannot state what these 23 years were or in what capacity, but corrections whether there in juvenile or adult are corrections, correct?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-87018617871119370482007-09-16T22:35:00.000-05:002007-09-16T22:35:00.000-05:00My favorite part of the DMN piece was this section...My favorite part of the DMN piece was this section, to which I've added my own interpretations in parentheses:<BR/><BR/>Ms. Moody defended the hiring of adult prison officials to lead TYC as both appropriate and necessary. <BR/><BR/>"There is no other juvenile justice system in Texas," she said. "So the next field, the closest ally to the juvenile justice system is, of course, the other criminal justice system which handles adults." (Translation: Well, duh! Those kids are practically adult criminals already, aren't they?)<BR/><BR/>The governor's office and TYC have so far chosen not to look beyond Texas for new leadership. (Translation: CYA, path of least resistance, lack of imagination, take your pick)<BR/><BR/>"It's not like there's this large pool of juvenile justice experts waiting to be hired," said Jim Hurley, TYC spokesman. "You would be assuming that folks would want to leave and come to Texas." (Translation: We have an inferiority complex. Hey, Texas really, really sucks. We figured, why would anyone with actual credentials or experience want to relocate here? So we didn't even bother to look.)<BR/><BR/>Dimitria Pope, who spent 23 years working in the adult prison system and is now acting TYC executive director, was equally unconcerned in recent comments to lawmakers. <BR/><BR/>"You had juvenile justice experts on [TYC] staff when all this happened," she told a legislative hearing when asked about the new leadership's qualifications. "It was that entity that caused a lot of the problems." <BR/>(Translation: I'm pretty sure the people in charge before were juvenile justice experts. I mean they had to be right? Anyway, by my "logic", that disqualifies ALL juvenile justice experts from being part of the solution. You know we did a bang-up job - literally - keeping abuses out of TDCJ.)<BR/><BR/>What a sorry spectacle.<BR/><BR/>Bill BushAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35756895927121303362007-09-16T21:27:00.000-05:002007-09-16T21:27:00.000-05:00Ed Owens’ retirement from state service was announ...Ed Owens’ retirement from state service was announced today by the Austin American Statesman in a story by Mike Ward. It says Owens is meeting with the governor’s people to find his replacement if one is even needed. I thought it was only a few days ago Owens told the Legislative Committee the conservatorship had no end in sight! All the sudden Owens bails out of a $140,000 a year job because he decides to retire. Things do not add up! $11,666 a month and you walk away. What is wrong with this picture? Ok so the salary is totally outrageous, but do you see Ed Owens walking away from this cash cow? Also in the same article Whitmire was unavailable for comment. Jerry Madden said TYC is a safer place than it was before the politicians took over. It seems to me Mr. Madden has not been to any of the TYC units such as Mart. I am sure he is misinformed and not lying to the public. No doubt he is not aware of the staffing problems at TYC.<BR/><BR/>I am glad the MSM finally did a story on Ed Owens problems at TDCJ. Only problem it is a little too late. I emailed the information to every member of the Texas Legislature about Owens TDCJ legal problems with supporting documentation from our favorite blog months ago while the Texas Legislature was in session. Our elected officials knew about Ed Owens past and did nothing. I emailed Jerry Madden about Ed Owens’ past and he defended Owens. I guess they will all be so surprised at the DMN article about Owens. I have copies of the emails sent in case they try to say they didn’t know about Owens past.<BR/><BR/>TYC is a story that will not die thanks to Scott and his blog. If it were not for Scott’s coverage of TYC it would be nothing more than old news if not forgotten! <BR/><BR/>Anthony MikulastikAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-34334189956644114862007-09-16T20:55:00.000-05:002007-09-16T20:55:00.000-05:00You folks who are criticizing Owens and Pope are m...You folks who are criticizing Owens and Pope are missing the point - they did exactly what their political bosses wanted them to do. They have been superb at their jobs. You all are judging them against the wrong standard. You seem to be assuming that their job was to do good for TYC. This has never been their job. Their job is and always has been to continue the legacy of Jay Kimbrough - keep the public's focus off the gross mishandling of TYC by the political leadership over the past 12 years. Guess who was governor when this all began? And you expect the DOJ to step in and do the right thing? Who's their boss? Our only hope is in the federal courts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-10588261384908361952007-09-16T19:35:00.000-05:002007-09-16T19:35:00.000-05:00The MSM also needs to look very closely at the que...The MSM also needs to look very closely at the questionable relationship that exists between Senator Whitmire and Dimitria Pope. That has been addressed in Grits too and with the same lack of concern or coverage by the MSM. Anyone who witnessed the recent "public hearing" could not help but notice that Senator Whitmire has something more than a professional interest in her. And anyone that dared speak against her was chastised soundly. How does someone with no experience in juvenile corrections find herself the "acting" executive director of TYC? It just don't make no sense!As I said early on in this fiasco that was supposed to reform TYC... Replacing one group of cover-up artists with another is no solution. And just for the record, you might want to get out your Casio Mini and start calculating the astronomical odds that the Governor will do the right thing and do anything to correct his gross errors in judgement where TYC is concerned. There is a greater possibility that monkeys will fly out of our butts first! Maybe the answer lies somewhere in the deep, dark bowels of the DOJ, because TDCJ ain't the answer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-46566855604923321262007-09-16T19:25:00.000-05:002007-09-16T19:25:00.000-05:00I hope I wasn't guilty of that, Scott. I still big...I hope I wasn't guilty of that, Scott. I still big you up when I'm talking to lawyers here in NM. But I guess I'm only MSM depending on who you ask.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-16506840165258926522007-09-16T19:10:00.000-05:002007-09-16T19:10:00.000-05:00Given Owens history of covering up sexual harassme...Given Owens history of covering up sexual harassment, there should be pressure put on Goodhair to get rid of Owens as Conservator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88431070966237694872007-09-16T18:33:00.000-05:002007-09-16T18:33:00.000-05:00At least the story got out.At least the story got out.tttthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12920590524803977044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-65244498417639828432007-09-16T18:12:00.000-05:002007-09-16T18:12:00.000-05:00It could still be in time to matter if the Guv cor...It could still be in time to matter if the Guv corrects his mistake, gets rid of Owens and appoints someone who will clean house in TYC of all of the TDCJrs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-16327184598324327552007-09-16T17:59:00.000-05:002007-09-16T17:59:00.000-05:00Outta the mouths of blogs, that's where most of th...Outta the mouths of blogs, that's where most of the research came from, I'd venture to say.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com