tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post5531591426881318698..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Texas Senate Committee plans hearing on private prisons next weekGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-60969676596808280622007-10-09T21:02:00.000-05:002007-10-09T21:02:00.000-05:00I believe 12:22 pm might be referring to when the ...I believe 12:22 pm might be referring to when the 11 Dems left Texas for New Mexico to break a Senate quorum for the redistricting vote and under threat that Perry would call a second special session. <BR/><BR/>After a few days (I don't know how many) Whitmire went back to Austin and to the Senate, giving the Republicans the quorum and the Texas districts. Whitmire then became Quitmire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18182875131304466512007-10-09T14:32:00.000-05:002007-10-09T14:32:00.000-05:00Can you refresh our memories on Whitmire and '05?Can you refresh our memories on Whitmire and '05?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15844421170654105492007-10-09T12:22:00.000-05:002007-10-09T12:22:00.000-05:00It's not about Whitmire being a Democrat, it is ab...It's not about Whitmire being a Democrat, it is about Whitmire being Whitmire. Remember, he sold out the Democrats back in '05 during the redistricting fiasco! Whitmire's only loyalty is to Whitmire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59599599224099742812007-10-09T10:32:00.000-05:002007-10-09T10:32:00.000-05:00Legislative hearings are open to the public.Legislative hearings are open to the public.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-24166951247339402032007-10-08T21:48:00.000-05:002007-10-08T21:48:00.000-05:00Is there hearing open to the public?Is there hearing open to the public?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-7800640931214053282007-10-08T21:44:00.000-05:002007-10-08T21:44:00.000-05:00Is Harris County trying to purchase the former CSC...Is Harris County trying to purchase the former CSC facility in Eagle Lake?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-14621571421772888092007-10-08T21:37:00.000-05:002007-10-08T21:37:00.000-05:00NO, don't quit worrying about the numbers. Just g...NO, don't quit worrying about the numbers. Just give us different numbers. I'd like to know how many of these youth TYC has released and how many crimes they have committed since they have been released. I said committed, not got caught on or got arrested on or got prosecuted on. Oh, and I wouldn't mind knowing how many other victims (extended ones would be nice too)will now be scarred for life because we let them out when they clearly weren't ready. Just following orders, sir.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-50571875103050634672007-10-08T19:10:00.000-05:002007-10-08T19:10:00.000-05:00TYC is nothing but a FAKE. We're not helping thes...TYC is nothing but a FAKE. We're not helping these kids. I take that back, we ARE helping these kids, we're helping them become young adults who, at the taxpayer's expense, think they can say and do anything to anyone and the only cost will be to send them to a place where it's better than home (not for all of them mind you) in the first place. TYC has come up with this ridiculously simple method of curing all the problems. It's a huddle-up. If a youth does something, anything, just call a huddle-up on them. If that doesn't work, send them to the ISS room where they will write the huddle-up down on paper (boy that will teach them) and then we'll send them right back to whatever setting they were in. If that doesn't work, we'll promise them a candy bar if they'll be good or blame the staff who were TRYING to actually hold them accountable and make a better person out of them. Of course by this time, whatever the students were supposed to be doing has now come to an end and it’s time to move on to something else so all interventions have to start over or we’ll move that youth or others to a different person who has no idea that this youth has been keeping all the others from learning whatever they were supposed to be from their last activity. Not knowing that this youth has been a terror before, he/she gets to do it all over again from square one now and this goes on all day long. I can tell you one thing.....we sure do look better on paper. We now have very few 225's (of course you have to jump through about 15 hoops before you can write one). Almost no security referrals (that's reserved for the ones who can be verified on tape (so we can't find a way to blame the staff) assaulting someone. It's a very dangerous place to work. If you care anything about your safety or mental well-being, stay away. This place can kill you and maybe just literally. Now, if you can ignore terrible behavior and buddy up with the youth and feed into their negativity and sleep at night and swear that you didn't hear or see anything a youth did, this is the place for you. You might even move up in rank quickly since you don't have any problems with the youth. If you can sit in a position of authority and never have experienced this or it’s been so long you really don’t know what it’s like, we might just have a higher position for you. You will; however, have to promise to never (and I mean never) admit that this crap…I mean method, isn’t working and always, always find a way to find fault with the staff and not the youth. If you can do this well, we’ll put you in charge of staff so things will run more smoothly. We won’t even make you do any huddle-ups and we’ll give you authority to send them directly to security. That way, the students will realize your power and they’ll never, never back talk or bother you and you’ll be able to run around talking about how you are so good at getting the youth to do whatever you need them to. I once thought the wheels were falling off this wagon, but we’re way past that. They have fallen off about 10 miles back and we’re still dragging the wagon with us and wondering just why it’s harder to pull. After over 30 years of helping youth, I’m about to decide that we’re not going to be allowed or given the tools to help these youth. If you’re a parent of one of them, I apologize because I’ve sure tried to help every one of them I have come in contact with. I just don’t know how much longer I can hang on. I never thought I’d say that they system and the kids have won and I need to move on, but I’m closer than I’ve ever been. I just don’t know how much more of this I can take. Please, please help us to actually help the youth of Texas who need us desperately and quit playing these cover-up games. Yes, it just might mean that a few of them might have to stay a little while longer, but it will pay off in big dividends when they don’t victimize others when they get out and actually become productive citizens. Quit worrying about the numbers and give us the tools we need to actually hold them accountable for their actions. Maybe if they practice doing right for a few months, it just might rub off some on them. Doing wrong until their MLOS is up and then releasing them isn’t going to work. I’m convinced of that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-68211223766398248392007-10-08T18:46:00.000-05:002007-10-08T18:46:00.000-05:00My bad, I thought I read Colorado City, not County...My bad, I thought I read Colorado City, not County.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1992460332004720852007-10-08T18:08:00.000-05:002007-10-08T18:08:00.000-05:008:19, what are you talking about? The county seat...8:19, what are you talking about? The county seat of Colorado County is Columbus, TX, only an hour and a half outside of Houston.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-13628646843554747642007-10-08T17:50:00.000-05:002007-10-08T17:50:00.000-05:00The reason that Harris County is asking if has aut...The reason that Harris County is asking if has authority to buy an existing facility is because it is cheaper and quicker to buy it. Harris County has capacity problems which it needs to alleviate and it would probably take two years to acquire the land and build one assuming that there was money to build it and not too much public opposition to Harris County building one in Harris County, either of which could add another couple of years.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Howard A. HickmanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-29285258122183296722007-10-08T08:19:00.000-05:002007-10-08T08:19:00.000-05:00Another question one would ask is why would Housto...Another question one would ask is why would Houston ask to lease or buy a facility between Big Spring and Sweetwater Texas?? Just 9 hours away from the great city of Houston, is this "Not in my backyard" politics.<BR/><BR/>I hope the people making this request are not involved with any of the folks that requested TYC to place youth in regions closer to home, because this does not even come close.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4088134046412551012007-10-08T08:04:00.000-05:002007-10-08T08:04:00.000-05:00Hey, Grits! Did you also see this OAG opinion req...Hey, Grits! Did you also see this OAG opinion request (<A HREF="http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/requests_ga/RQ0631GA.pdf" REL="nofollow">RQ0631GA</A>) from Harris County DA Chuck Rosenthal? If Chuck ponies up the money to lease or purchase, who would operate the facility?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-46508153894873741572007-10-08T06:52:00.000-05:002007-10-08T06:52:00.000-05:00When all this privitazation started in the 80s, it...When all this privitazation started in the 80s, it started with brokering for rehab services. It should never have gone beyond that. Look at privatization now. It's just a total mess. My question is, why is Whitmire just targeting GEO? Look at all of the operators. But we know he won't. Nothing will change as a result of this hearing. Like one poster lamented, its a ploy to save Pope.tttthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12920590524803977044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-80637661655774195572007-10-08T06:29:00.000-05:002007-10-08T06:29:00.000-05:00Hey, this hearing is just an excuse for Elmer to g...Hey, this hearing is just an excuse for Elmer to get out of town and go to his favorite watering hole.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-39479608821518053772007-10-08T01:44:00.000-05:002007-10-08T01:44:00.000-05:00Imagine that! Former TDCJ staff being hired as ad...Imagine that! Former TDCJ staff being hired as adminstrators and not trying to find out about the laws applying to them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-43043142299431382962007-10-08T01:18:00.000-05:002007-10-08T01:18:00.000-05:00I hate to do this, but for obvious reasons I will ...I hate to do this, but for obvious reasons I will have to enter my identity as "Anonymous"<BR/><BR/>It appears that the Senate Criminal Justice Committee's hearing will address "private correctional facilities in the State of Texas".<BR/><BR/>I work for a "private correctional facility" county owned but presently managed by, you guessed it - Geo. <BR/><BR/>The private sector prison management people seem to think that the only people qualified to operate a county correctional facility are ex-TDCJ-ID majors, assistant wardens, wardens, and the like. They are either unaware (or just do not care) that adult private correctional facilities are regulated by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS).<BR/><BR/>Most of the wardens and Geo Corporate officers [mostly ex-TDCJ-ID] I have worked under have exhibited a total unwillingness to learn about, much less conform to, Texas jail standards. When advised that one of their memos, orders, or written directives does not conform to jail standards, their standard answer is, Well, that's the way we did it at TDC."<BR/><BR/>Statutes regulating the operation of TDCJ-ID and those regulating the operation of a county jail and/or a "private correctional facility" are "two separate sacks of cats."<BR/><BR/>The correctional facility I work at houses pre-trial detainees (county, state, and federal), convicted county inmates doing county time, convicted federal inmates waiting transfer to a federal prison, convicted state inmates waiting transfer to TDCJ-ID, some municipal inmates laying out fines, and even convicted felons from out-of-state.<BR/><BR/>Administrative level personnel encourage treating all these inmates "just like we did at TDC." It doesn't seem to matter that a great number of these inmates have not been convicted of the crimes with which they are charged and that some may be found not guilty of criminal charges.<BR/><BR/>Another area where the ex-TDCJ-ID people are unwilling to conform is hiring standards. They are totally unconcerned with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) rules concerning the hiring, termination, and training of county jailers - mainly, I suspect because TDCJ-ID is not regulated by TCLEOSE. Ex-TCD people are unaware that hiring standards for county jailers are considerably more stringent than those at TDCJ-ID.<BR/><BR/>I spent some 15 years trying to educated various wardens and jail administrators about TCJS and TCLEOSE and succeeded for the most part in just making them angry because they had already made their minds up to do it the way "we did it at TDC." When they get caught in a violation, they invariably say, "I didn't know." It wasn't because they weren't told. They really cannot plead ignorance - only arrogance.<BR/><BR/>I highly recommend that every county or municipality owning a jail facility and leasing it to a private management company incorporate into their contracts a clause requiring the contractor to pay the salary of a monitor/auditor/inspector who is totally familiar with TCJS and TCLEOSE and answerable only to the County Sheriff and the Commissioners Court or to the governing body of the municipality. Otherwise, the county or municipality is running the danger of the contractor getting crosswise with TCJS and/or TCLEOSE and then walking off and leaving the county or municipality high and dry.<BR/><BR/>With apologies to Dennis Miller - Thanks for reading my rant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59671456665798337902007-10-07T20:00:00.000-05:002007-10-07T20:00:00.000-05:00I would like to suggest the issue is not contract ...I would like to suggest the issue is not contract care for 10-13 year olds. Properly done, it can be a great part of the system, albeit usually for those who do not fit "one size fits all". And, it can be done right even for a profit. I cannot speak for now, but I recall when Texas began using ICF-MR funding (Intermediate Care Facility for Mentally Retarded) to get developmentally delayed adults out of MHMR's State Schools. Based on nursing homes, it had some problems, but it worked well for a lot previously warehoused people, especially when it got down to group homes with only 6 residents. Later HCS (Home and Community-based Services) did even better.<BR/><BR/>Contractors geared to nursing home mentality (generally the first participants who had facilities available) tried to do it on the cheap, the only way a nursing home could come close to breaking even). Some contractors for the initial group homes (up to 15 residents)noted something in the contracts: services were paid for on a COST PLUS 10%basis. The outcome was that any (legitimate) service, including food, paid a income if the initial cost was higher. For comparison, at the time, a nursing home might budget $2.50/day/resident for food. If it was a facilty for MR, the income for the contractor would be $0.25/day/resident. In the group home, $4.50 per day = 45 cents per day. Doing things on the cheap became cost prohibitive and serious, periodic reviews (about as serious as ACA on return visits)by ICF-MR survey teams made you do the work, document the work and be successful in advancing the skills of each resident to the best of the resident's (not the staff's) ability. Failure to so meant vendor hold.<BR/>My conclusion is that if profit is the motivator for the contractor, the State (in this case TYC) needs to make that profit dependent on success with measureable outcomes, such as reading levels, job skill development, reduced aggression and, most of all, lowered recidivism rates than the general TYC population. Sorry about the length, but I did not want to suggest that just throwing money at the situation was going to result in a "cure."spearshakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01597301103588287120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-23151543401733095572007-10-07T19:49:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:49:00.000-05:00"I also would NOT expand TYC contract care for 10-..."I also would NOT expand TYC contract care for 10-13 year olds and older boys in the wake of these revelations. I'd review how the agency handles contractors and make numerous improvements to oversight and QA functions before even contemplating shifting more youth into private prisons, but TYC is moving full steam ahead to do so."<BR/><BR/><BR/>Grits - It is all about money, momey, and more money for the right people. We have the best state government money can buy in Texas. Contract care is about money for the people who control the politicians. Most high profile politicians are the yapping lap dog of big money. Look at Bush, he is the lap dog of oil money. Until the voters get enough and throw the bums out nothing will change. The corruption is "in your face" and bold these days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64453510848189327092007-10-07T19:41:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:41:00.000-05:00I just watched the Whitmire/Patrick exchange/video...I just watched the Whitmire/Patrick exchange/video clip on youtube. What I'd really like to see now is a clip of the GEO lobbyists in action ! Do those tapes exist ?<BR/><BR/>" Mr. Whitmire said he was upset at efforts this week by GEO lobbyists to convince legislators that TYC had treated the company too harshly.<BR/><BR/>"Now enters GEO with their paid lobbyists attempting to put a good face on this," Mr. Whitmire said. "<BR/><BR/>source: http://www.texasprisonbidness.org/lobbying-and-influence/whitmire-orders-investigation-geo-lock-ups-geo-sends-lobbyistsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22539452520618089722007-10-07T19:40:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:40:00.000-05:00Can we have an "Amen" to that?Can we have an "Amen" to that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-58333076574060828212007-10-07T19:32:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:32:00.000-05:00I understand as many of my fellow "Bloggers" that ...I understand as many of my fellow "Bloggers" that this sight helps reduce stress from the day to day crap, incompetence, inept, Administrators from Austin that we have to deal with.<BR/><BR/>What I do not understand is why have we been placed under this leadership and when will the Governor step in and place TYC under real Conservatorship with a person with Juvenile Corrections experience?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-83476650030124301062007-10-07T19:16:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:16:00.000-05:00Pope is not our Hope!Pope is not our Hope!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-21982964423912555492007-10-07T19:09:00.000-05:002007-10-07T19:09:00.000-05:00That's Elmer as we know him... we've discussed tha...That's Elmer as we know him... we've discussed that clip before. Now if Henson could just put this code I'm supposed to use in something I can read...it looks Russian ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48479411684345604202007-10-07T18:25:00.000-05:002007-10-07T18:25:00.000-05:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR4uUoLJH3gWhitmire...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR4uUoLJH3g<BR/><BR/>Whitmire in Action<BR/>Mr. Whitmire Welcomes Mr. Patrick to the Texas SenateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com