Texas prisons do not have air conditioning (which helps explain why 500+ employees quit every month). We've had unseasonably cool weather this summer, but the rest of August and September will be a scorcher. Prisoners are allowed fans in their cells, though, for those who can afford them. and it makes a big difference once the dog days hit.If you haven't yet donated to the annual CURE prisoner fan drive, consider clicking here or on the ad in the right hand column to do so. $20 purchases and delivers one box fan, and when the prisoner gets out it's passed on to somebody else who needs it. This is a terrific volunteer project that's been providing this service for years. Support it if you can.
Not ALL inmates are allowed fans in their cells. Those in intake facilities such as Middleton are not allowed to buy fans, and some stay there for up to 2 years. And the inmates cant just go to the store and pick one up either, they have to put in a request and it can take up to 6 months for it to be approved.
ReplyDeleteI really feel for the COs during the summer, having to work in such heavy uniforms with no AC.
Admittedly, since most in prison didn't have AC before they landed in prison the delta discomfort isn't THAT great. Even low wage workers at McJobs in Texas work with limited AC. I suppose that it would be considering "coddling" to keep the environment comfortable. Adobe prisons with ceiling fans could easily compete with AC - especially in West Texas - and at a fraction of the cost.
ReplyDeleteBTW, are Texas prisoners allowed an hour for exercise? And if so, how limited are their shower times? If someone were involved in an exercise regimen how disruptive would prison life be for them [besides being in close proximity with all the smokers - which brings up the idea of asthmatic prisoners suffering "cruel and unusual" punishment]? Or do prisoners with long-term exercise regimens get sent to white collar prisons?
It does not take inmates 6 months to get a fan through the TX CURE FAN PROJECT. Since I am the one who runs the project I know how it is handled.
ReplyDeleteThe inmate must send a request to Huntsville for an Inmate Trust Fund Inquiry slip. Then they send the slip to me. I then put their name on a list, when funds are available, and the list is sent to Huntsville. IF they qualify for the fan they are told to pick it up at the commissary. The time it takes from beginning to end is contingent on supplying me an actual TFI and if funds are available. Often the delay in receiving a fan is a direct result of not supplying the correct paperwork when making a request. The inmate must be indigent a full 6 months before they qualify for a TX CURE fan.
There are specific units that do not allow the Fan Project program. Middleton is indeed a transfer facility and does not allow fans to be purchased. This should not interfere with the other units that do allow fans.
Due to the donations this year we have had a turn around from request to actually receiving a fan in as little as 3 to 4 weeks.
If anyone has questions about how our Fan Project works please visit the TX CURE website and email me personally. I will be happy to explain the actual process in detail.
We accept donations for fan throughout the entire year.
I am somewhat puzzled about J.T.Barrie's post . Free world workers have the choice to get into shady areas , have icewater whenever needed etc. When you are cooped up in a small cell or cubicle w/o air movement inside a metal or brick building , you will soon feel like you're being baked in an oven. There are laws against doing this to animals. As for excercise , that is short lived in TX prisons because of guard shortage. Showers would be nice to keep cool,also curtailed because of guard shortage, icewater, limited. Excercise regimen? Ha,ha,very funny! These are not federal prisons! There are no smokers in TX prisons, not allowed , so asthmatic prioners only have a problem with the heat or lack of medication.Oh, are you going to suggest to the Lege to replace existing prisons with adobe structures? Any way you look at it ,incarceration in TX prisons is cruel and unusual punishment.
ReplyDeleteWith longer sentences, the "aging" of the Baby Boomers, Texas prisoners and guards are getting older. TDCJ and the ligislature must address questions of climate control just to attract and keep guards.
ReplyDeleteA complete energy audit of the prisons will probably reveal that A/C is more economical than the cost of ventilation alone not to mention all the fans! Especially when the savings in medical care and employee turnover are figured into the formula.
Cheri, I was refering to inmates who were asking for their own fans, not inmates receiving fans through Texas CURE.
ReplyDeleteAs for exercise, at hubby's unit he rarely goes out to the yard for exercise for this reason: the inmates have to strip and wait in the corridor ... and wait...and wait some more... and sometimes (often) can wait up to 2 hours, only to be told to get dressed and return to their cells without going to the yard at all. He says it is more hassle than it's worth.
Showers? yes they get cool water ~ it's how the COs let them know that their 5 minutes is up. Hot to wash with, cold to warn them, and turn the showers off to get them out. It seems to work. Oh and it's once a day, when they COs get round to their wing. Hubby is lucky if he gets to go straight from work.
sunray's...email me the unit or units this is happening at and I will speak with Huntsville. It should never take that long for a commissary request to get a fan.
ReplyDeletelincon56@sbcglobal.net
Oops! Sunray. email address is:
ReplyDeletelincoln56@sbcglobal.net