tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post112099752880166927..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Texas prisons overflowing, now what?Gritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-8611094476305278912008-10-08T10:50:00.000-05:002008-10-08T10:50:00.000-05:00This is all great. You have no idea what you are ...This is all great. You have no idea what you are talking about. Having spent 10 years in a Texas prison I can speak from experience. Having been free for over 4 years now I understand the challenges of living in this society following imprisonment.<BR/><BR/>(1) Texas prisons were at one point designed to be self-sufficient. They are not anymore because during the 1990's prisons were turned into political candy. They were used to "create jobs" in depressed areas and to subsidize good-ol'-boy.<BR/><BR/>(2) Texas prisons do not teach anything other than criminal mentality. Inmates are encouraged to work, but they are not paid and do not pay or contribute to their INDIVIDUAL and collective well being. <BR/><BR/>(3) The media and political system have used fear to boost ratings and to create votes for their own interests. No one has stood up and said that Texas law enforcement and judicial personnel have done an EXCELLENT JOB. Recidivism in Texas is lower than most other comparable states. <BR/><BR/>We need to escape these three problems and to implement real solutions--<BR/><BR/>(1) Privatize the Texas Correctional Industries (prison industry) with regulatory oversight and use the revenues to reduce the tax burden prison costs.<BR/><BR/>(2) Move the prison system back to self-sufficiency in five (5) years. All new construction of prisons should be completed where possible by prison labor and not outside contractors.<BR/><BR/>(3) Start educating the public about the truth of recidivism in Texas which is often lower than 30%.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17859685202569928532007-06-19T12:00:00.000-05:002007-06-19T12:00:00.000-05:00Studies done on boot camps report that they do not...Studies done on boot camps report that they do not work towards rehabilitation, they only foster criminal behavior.<BR/><BR/>By taking away things like "job opportunity" you are increasing their likelihood to utilize illegal means to obtain monetary support.<BR/><BR/>Forcing to accept a religious belief....sounds like brainwashing to me.<BR/><BR/>"Criminal thinking"....is sometimes unfixable. How about just teaching them other things to occupy their mind? Take away criminal activities, but input something equally as fulfilling.<BR/><BR/>wifiguy: What about decriminalizing drug offenses more specifically marajuana offenses? This would reduce the number of people in prison on non-violent drug offenses.Kendra Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07087144804928834168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1165033131276272382006-12-01T22:18:00.000-06:002006-12-01T22:18:00.000-06:00Of course what better to deter violence than relig...Of course what better to deter violence than religion and war. Oh wait were not talking about violence were dealing with criminals, the majority of which are incarcerated for non violent drug charges.<BR/><BR/>Why not take a more subtle approach and slowly take away there rights and lower there ranking in society i.e. voting, freely leaving and entering the country, job opportunity's...<BR/><BR/>Oh wait, that already happened.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1161549634284984102006-10-22T15:40:00.000-05:002006-10-22T15:40:00.000-05:00Why not put offenders in boot camp, force them int...Why not put offenders in boot camp, force them into the military, force them to accept a religious belief, anything to deter their criminal thinking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com