Marlin will become Texas' next prison town thanks to a combination of actions by the 80th Texas Legislature.The 6,600-person town in Falls County will eventually boast three adult prison units thanks to legislation approved this spring. In yesterday's Austin Statesman Mike Ward outlined the fate of two Texas Youth Commission facilities and their conversion to adult prisons ("Texas could get new adult prisons without building them," June 5):
Under legislation expected to be signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry, the John Shero State Juvenile Correctional Facility in San Saba and the Marlin Orientation & Assessment Unit are to be transferred within the next year or so from the scandal-plagued Texas Youth Commission to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Each will house about 600 adult convicts, according to preliminary plans.
The third, a vacant Veterans Administration medical center in Marlin, could become a 350-bed psychiatric hospital if negotiations with federal officials are successful, Whitmire and House Corrections Committee Chairman Jerry Madden said.
Earlier, state Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, confirmed that state officials were negotiating to obtain the structure — although officials had been considering making it a Youth Commission intake center, to replace the one in Marlin that is being turned into an adult prison.
"The Marlin and San Saba units were both built as adult units to start with, and since they were transferred to TYC in 1995, they haven't proven to be their best use — so they'll be coming back to that now," said Madden, R-Richardson.
For their part, prison officials have said they support the plans — which could eventually give them three prisons in Marlin, home to the 1,342-bed, all-women Hobby Unit that opened in 1989.
it's disgusting that employees at John Shero have to get this news from the Austin newspaper and not from TYC.
ReplyDeleteSeveral months ago, before the scandal became big news of the day, a few big heads from Austin came to talk to us. They told us that they would stay in close communication. Instead, we have to learn of our fate from the newspaper.
Very sad leadership indeed.
If the TDCJ Hobby Unit is any indication of what is to come then God help the inmates. Someone needs to check out the water system in Marlin before we poison a few more unsuspecting prisoners. Texas probably creates more "prison towns" than any state in this country. Should make every Texan proud.
ReplyDeleteJohn Shero...you have my empathy. We(VFCA) are probably next in line on the chopping block, so please keep us posted on how it goes down...we will need to know what to expect and will appreciate the input. Right now it feels like a shrinking vine that is withering away to a certain death. It sucks!
ReplyDeleteWhere or what happened to the following Superintendents-
ReplyDeleteMartinez, Freeman, Dick, Scott.
Assistants- Nicholson
Who is the dude running Crockett- Jerome Williams, does he know Institutions?
Who is the chick running Evins, does she know Institutions?
Lets put maintenance over HR functions.
Volunteer Coordinator over Case Work.
Finance over Corrections, and we should be fixed.
Actually that means another 600 mostly black and Hispanic people with liberal tendencies who will be represented by some redneck hick who still believes Saddam Hussein masterminded 911. Sounds eerily similar to the 3/5ths rule of the original Constitution.
ReplyDeleteWow.. Our new Boss is now official.. Ed Owens ..accepted. Per the News Station....Now we have him for 2 years. and guess who took his old job???? Pope, yes.... Pope!! God Help us all.
ReplyDeleteAnd with Dr. Novy taking over Rehab and all of Education.. God Help us all.
Yes, he is letting Venita take over Special Ed.. but, remember..he is a Micro Manager..so it really does not matter who he appts, he is still really in charge!! God Help us all