Texas Correctional Supervisor's Association

Mandatory HIV testing OK for incoming Texas prisoners, AG says

2007-02-03T11:30:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of ABC-13 KTRK Houston

Convicts coming into Texas prisons can look forward to likely mandatory testing for HIV and AIDS. Under current regulations, state inmates can be tested at any time but may decline to be tested. Statistics show about 80 percent agree to the tests, with less than 2 percent of them identified as HIV-positive.
Under legislation approved two years ago, inmates are required for testing before they leave prison.
But according to an opinion from state Attorney General Greg Abbott, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice can adopt a rule that "compels mandatory HIV testing for incoming offenders."
"We look forward to reviewing Thursday's opinion to evaluate what changes, if any, should be made to our intake testing procedures to ensure that all TDCJ inmates are being screened for HIV and AIDS," Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons said Friday.
As of Dec. 31, the prison system had 154,937 inmates, with 2,693 identified as HIV-positive. More than 35 percent of HIV-positive inmates were from Harris County. Eighteen percent were from Dallas.
The attorney general's opinion was requested by Sen. Rodney Ellis. The Houston Democrat, along with state Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas, sponsored the legislation two years ago that requires inmates be tested for HIV before leaving prison.
Ellis had said if Abbott ruled current law didn't allow for mandatory entry tests, he'd sponsor a bill that would include such a requirement.

If you build it, help will come

2007-01-26T22:54:00.000-05:00

Texas state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, doesn't represent Potter County, but perhaps he should listen to what Potter County officials have to say about the state's prison population.

Whitmire, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, is of the opinion Texas does not need to build more prisons.

"We don't need 4,000 more maximum-security beds," Whitmire said.
On Monday, Potter County Sheriff Chief Deputy Ken Farren told commissioners that something will have to be done in the near future about the county's ever-increasing jail population.

Farren said jail overcrowding, due in part to a larger number of female inmates, is like an obstacle approaching "in the fog," and that the county will have to address it sooner or later.

With such contrasting viewpoints, something doesn't add up.
In Potter County's case, the numbers don't lie.

The jail population averages close to 550 during a given week, and state backlog is a primary reason.

County Judge Arthur Ware, as he did Monday, routinely laments the state dragging its feet on picking up state inmates housed at the county jail, and also the state's refusal to consider building more prisons to alleviate the strain on county resources.

Whitmire's tone indicates little has changed among some lawmakers.
There is hope, though, for counties such as Potter County, which is busting at the seams trying to meet the state's responsibility.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is warming up to the idea of Texas expanding its prison space by 4,000 beds. Texas houses 153,000 felons at 112 units, including two in Potter County.

Dewhurst has proved to be an effective leader, one who can accomplish goals without engaging in public political fights and partisan squabbles.

Hopefully, Dewhurst can use that political acumen and prod reluctant lawmakers to address a problem that many refuse to acknowledge.

For legislators too stubborn to change their views, Dewhurst need only offer Potter County as a reason to change their minds.

Employee website helps to format /send payraise letters

2007-01-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

We discovered a TDCJ employee's website that outlines how to write, and where to send TDCJ payraise support letters to legislators. We need all the help we can get, go check it out, it's very informative!

Link Here !

Regional TXCSA Employee site links

2007-01-26T10:34:00.001-05:00

Check out these hot TXCSA member site links!

Region I CSAT Website - C.Rains Region I President
Region I CSAT Website - J.Pomponio Region I Vice President
Region V Website D. Larimore Region V President

Bookmark our new web address !

2007-01-26T10:34:00.000-05:00

Our site address has changed! Bookmark this new web address to make sure you don't miss a thing this legislative session. The original website for TXCSA will be deleted in a few weeks. Thanks for you'r continued support of this website and our Association!

Thanks!

- TXCSA Admin.

House committee on Corrections members for 2007

2007-01-26T10:27:00.000-05:00

Committee JurisdictionThe committee shall have seven members, with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to:

the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted felons;
the establishment and maintenance of programs that provide alternatives to incarceration;
the commitment and rehabilitation of youths;
the construction, operation, and management of correctional facilities of the state and facilities used for the commitment and rehabilitation of youths; and
the following state agencies: the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Texas Youth Commission, the Council on Sex Offender Treatment, the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments, the Private Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority, and the Criminal Justice Policy Council.

Members are Representatives;

Madden, Jones, Haggerty, England,Hochberg,McReynolds, and Noriega.

TDCJ employee payraise petition!

2007-01-26T10:04:00.000-05:00

Heres the link to our TDCJ employee payraise and benefit retention petition. Please sign it. We will forward it to Austin via email in a couple of weeks.

click here to go sign the petition!

Welcome to the New TXCSAT Blog site!

2007-01-26T08:07:00.000-05:00

We have re-located to a bigger, more functional site to serve you. Please excuse our construction mess. This site should be at 100% in the coming week or so. Thanks! TXCSAT management!