Monday, September 10, 2007

TYC Aug. 13 report to Lege online

Finally, I've got the initial results from a recent open records request to the Texas Youth Commission online. The format isn't ideal, but thanks to Kathy's patient assistance, we've been able to upload most of the Aug. 13 Texas Youth Commission report to state legislators and put it online. Even the broken up files are large, so be forewarned if you're using dialup.

The documents are on a free service called Rapidshare (see here for a good description). The links don't go directly to the files, there are a couple of steps, so pay attention!

You can download a file by clicking on the link, then scroll down to "download type" and click "Free." N.b., You do not have to pay, and should not do so! One of the restrictions on the free service is that you can only download a given document once per hour, so you may want to save a document to your hard drive. If there's a problem downloading, just wait an hour and try again.

A couple of things aren't here. First, half the file was a copy of SB 103 and Jay Kimbrough's May 2 conservator's report, which I cut since they're available elsewhere. Also, in hard copy I was given resumes of executive staff, results of an OIG investigation into who leaked information to Statesman reporter Mike Ward (answer: no one at TYC), daily TYC population charts going back several months, and preliminary data on pepper spray use (20-50 sprays per week system-wide since the practice began). Otherwise, here are the goodies you've been waiting for:

at

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous9/10/2007 09:31:00 AM

    I tried downloading the progress overview file and got the following message:

    You have reached the download-limit for free-users. Want to download more?
    Get your own Premium-account now! Instant download-access! (Or wait 36 minutes)

    This was the first time I tried so not sure why I got that message. Will try later and see if it will let me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9/10/2007 11:11:00 AM

    I had the same problem when I tried to download this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gritsforbreakfast9/10/2007 11:17:00 AM

    It worked for me, y'all. You have to type four letters into a captcha, but I got to it just now. Has anyone else been able to successfully open a file?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous9/10/2007 11:54:00 AM

    I was able to download the Progress Overview file. It was a very very slow download, and I'm on cable.

    You might consider another download service (there are many free ones) that doesn't have the limits on downloads this one has, or the hoops you have to jump through to retrieve the file.

    Some options:
    SendThisFile- www.sendthisfile.com/
    YouSendIt- www.yousendit.com/
    LargefilesASAP-www.largefilesasap.com/

    Send the email to yourself and then post the unique URL they send you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gritsforbreakfast9/10/2007 01:09:00 PM

    I'll see if I can put it somewhere else, but it may have to wait till this evening to get to it. And be forewarned, even on broadband these are HUGE files - before it was broken up, the original was more than 500 MB on a disc! I wish they'd lowered the resolution.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous9/10/2007 05:54:00 PM

    I read the Accountability portion. I was particularly fascinated by the Office of General Counsel section. It is the most conclusory thing I have ever seen, and it is not even written in good legal jargon(i.e.- it is not even good bovine excrement.)

    Howard A. Hickman

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gritsforbreakfast9/10/2007 07:28:00 PM

    Howard, as always if you have more to say on the topic, give us a guest post! Your last one was a doozy! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9/11/2007 10:34:00 AM

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST ??


    TYC Open Bay Dorms Alterations 2007
    Turn your bids into:
    Contact Information:
    Art Hinojosa
    Maintenance & Operations Dept.
    6400 E. Hwy. 290, Suite 202
    Austin, TX 78723

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9/11/2007 05:11:00 PM

    I cannot get anything to download either. I was most interested in seeing if thee were statistics on the telephone abuse hotline.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous9/11/2007 07:06:00 PM

    When I click on these, it sends me to a web site for software to upload files. What's up with that?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous9/11/2007 07:08:00 PM

    Give it a break 10:34; Hinojosa in Texas is like Smith in Massachusetts

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gritsforbreakfast9/11/2007 07:13:00 PM

    You don't have to pay for the software. It's in the post:

    "You can download a file by clicking on the link, then scroll down to "download type" and click "Free." N.b., You do not have to pay, and should not do so! One of the restrictions on the free service is that you can only download a given document once per hour, so you may want to save a document to your hard drive. If there's a problem downloading, just wait an hour and try again."

    Sorry I've not moved them elsewhere. I've had a lot going on this week and it was a big pain in the butt to get them onto this service. The files are just enormous. It's been working for me, though.

    ReplyDelete