tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post2006450554812380333..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: TDCJ should suggest letting private prison contracts expire to save moneyGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-14585537272803845842016-08-18T14:13:49.877-05:002016-08-18T14:13:49.877-05:00The DOJ announced today (August 18) that they are ...The DOJ announced today (August 18) that they are going to allow all private prison contracts to expire and then only use BOP units. Their reasoning mirrors what has been said on Grits about private prisons for a long time. Is TDCJ listening?David Enoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-46733231965740381682016-08-17T15:22:26.557-05:002016-08-17T15:22:26.557-05:00In prisons like Skyview the so called guards are l...In prisons like Skyview the so called guards are little more than nursing home attendants. Prisoners over 60 have a recidivism rate of close to zero per cent and should be pushed out of the system to make way for the younger set that actually pose a threat to society.<br /><br />Time to end the WMW-----White Man's Welfare.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-87519250092400962902016-08-13T22:30:56.257-05:002016-08-13T22:30:56.257-05:00Hello, Really it's a great post for me. I like...Hello, Really it's a great post for me. I like your writing as well as your site. Your site is so attractive to me but it would be better if you had <a href="http://www.leaderpoll.com" rel="nofollow">vote/polling system</a> for your article. I hope you will continue your writings and thus you will help everyone. Thanks for your great article.<br />Leaderpollhttp://www.leaderpoll.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-31203257966942193392016-08-12T21:10:09.299-05:002016-08-12T21:10:09.299-05:00I'm someone who has an interest in the truth. ...I'm someone who has an interest in the truth. Here's a media report today on a released report from her unbiased US Justice Department Inspector General: <br /><br />http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/department-justice-report-private-contract-prisonsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-75066652247628525962016-08-12T20:09:11.260-05:002016-08-12T20:09:11.260-05:00You say there are numerous studies saying governme...You say there are numerous studies saying government operated prisons are safer. Refer me to several from unbiased sources. Otherwise you sound like someone with a financial interest in government run prisons. By the way guards are interested in air conditioning as that is part of their lawsuit against TDCJ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-45116373545496780352016-08-12T17:54:32.573-05:002016-08-12T17:54:32.573-05:00The publicly operated prisons are safer. The offi...The publicly operated prisons are safer. The officers in the private prisons are nothing more than warm bodies in a uniform with little or no training. Private prisons are nasty, as the minimum wage staff could careless about the conditions. <br /><br />There are numerous studies that compare publicly operated prisons to private prisons. A/C is one of the last things an inmate has to worry about while in prison. Violence, gangs, and access to health care / mental health are lacking in private prisons. TDCJ is a 5 star hotel compared with the private prisons in Texas. Not all the private prisons have air conditioning. Remember the private prison industry makes money by cutting corners. While the state cuts corners, such as A/C, the private prisons cut more on a system that is by no means adequately funded. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-81585571281875843202016-08-12T16:04:18.651-05:002016-08-12T16:04:18.651-05:00I once worked for a business that for the most par...<br />I once worked for a business that for the most part existed only on its state contract to supply filing cabinets to state agencies. The entire state. It was funny, we'd have a steady pace for much of the year, but once it turned to late June or so, we began to get flooded. The flood stopped September 1st. Everyone had to spend their budgets lest their budgets get reduced the next time around! <br /><br />Grits and Bill are right -- they will never willingly give up any funding, or jurisdiction.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see what the new director will choose to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-77719038006448569842016-08-12T16:00:49.476-05:002016-08-12T16:00:49.476-05:00I've read a number of articles about the faili...I've read a number of articles about the failings of for profit prisons but I've never read one where a direct comparison with government prisons is made. Texas government run prisons are rotten. Are they better than the for profit prisons? I've never heard anyone say so. Many government prisons lack air conditioning. Do any for profit prisons? If the for profit prisons have A/C, then its the non-air conditioned prisons that should be closed first.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-10805982629723939862016-08-12T14:06:56.201-05:002016-08-12T14:06:56.201-05:00In response to Bill: We are dealing with a "...In response to Bill: We are dealing with a "profit mentality" across the board, are we not? The private prisons focus on monetary profit. You stated: "The culture of state agency management is to avoid giving up any economic or physical authority they control." Sounds like a form of profit mentality to me. I don't see how anything other than a mandated change away from this kind of ingrained thinking from the legislature will have substantive impact.David Enoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-71818315113391664212016-08-12T06:56:14.089-05:002016-08-12T06:56:14.089-05:00I think your comments are right on, but I fear the...I think your comments are right on, but I fear the impact of your comments will not bring the serious results they deserve. As an ex TDCJ public defender who has dealt with inmate and inmate family legal issues for over 40 years, I observe that prisons, like most other state agencies, will do what they can to retain their economic and physical jurisdictions. Based on the mail and personal contact our office enjoys with prison inmates and their famiies, it is clear the Texas prison continues to have a really tough time providing safe and healthy conditions for inmates (just a few such issues include health,legal assistance,heat, water, gang control of units etc.), however, I do admit that Texas prisons do not own the patient on these problems. <br /><br />Over my years of observing state agency operations I conclude that the culture of state agency management is to avoid giving up any economic or physical authority they control. Those who run state agencies do not "grow their business" by reducing their physical or economic jurisdicitons. Particularly in the field of corrections. Same is true when private industry (private prison) and public institutions join hands in business interaction. I think private prisons are a real scam on the economy of any state.. <br /><br />Since the problems of Texas prison amd mental institutions is among the last topic of discussion by Texas families during breakfast discussion--unless the family has a loved one that is incarcerated--- I doubt the Texas public will likely raise up in protest over the very good idea you suggest that Texas not renew contracts with any private prisons. However, I applaud your efforts to educate all of us.Keep beating your drum. <br /><br />The faster Texas is free of private prison the better. Your readers are urged to read the recent article entitled "My Four Months As A Private Prison Guard" published in the wonderful investigative publication MOTHER JONES. That article should open some eyes about the operation of private prisons AND WHY WE DO NOT NEED THEM. <br /><br />Bill Habern<br />Attorney <br />Houston, TexasBill Habernnoreply@blogger.com