I believe the get tough on prisoners thinking has finally begun to crack. Legislation in Texas is providing relief in several forms.
There is a Task Force under Texas H.B.498 for this panel to look into and correct any wrongful convictions.
Texas H.B. 1736 increases compensation from $50,000 to $80,000 for every year served in prison for a wrongful conviction. And if wrongfully convicted on a sex crime, the person will get insurance for life, and 120 college credit hours of tuition.
Texas S.B.1681 is a no jailhouse snitch bill. A person can no longer be convicted of an offense on the testimony of an in custody informant--aka SNITCH.
Texas H.B.93 allows the prison authorities to return all good-time lost due to bad behavior.
When I read some of these bills that became laws or criminal procedures for courts or prisons in Texas, I could see that it involves the ECONOMY. IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO HOUSE PRISONERS INDEFINITELY for no true reason.
Then, the next day, a petition was handed to me on torture of Texas prisoners. The petition is entitled, “Texas Heat Kills Prisoners.” Now, before I go into this petition, I am going to write a test for all the readers, using one of Texas’ Penal Code laws. It follows. Only one answer is correct:
Texas Penal Code Section 42.09
I. A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly:
1) Tortures an (A) animal; or (B) inmate;
2) Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, care, or shelter for an (A) animal; or (B) inmate;
3) Confines an (A) animal; or (B) inmate) in a cruel manner; (For purposes of this section, “cruel manner” includes a manner that causes or permits unjustified or unwarranted pain or suffering;
II. “Custody” includes responsibility for the health, safety, and welfare of an (A) animal; or (B) inmate subject to the person’s care and control.
III. “Necessary food, care, and/or shelter” includes care or shelter provided to the extent required to maintain the (A) animal’s; or (B) inmate’s state of good health.
IV. An offense can be a Class A Misdemeanor, or a Felony State jail offense, subject to TWO years in prison.
The above is in the Texas Penal Code Chapter 42. There is only one true correct answer: Is it A or B?
Texas Heat Kills Prisoners -- Abuse Petition
Prisoners in Texas are forced to live in 5’ x l0’ or 7’ x 8’ concrete cells without air conditioning and without adequate air circulation. Temperatures of up to 120 degrees are not unusual and those prisoners who suffer from chronic diseases or mental illnesses are in danger of dying from the heat, which happens frequently. Tempers flare between prisoners as well as guards and make a dangerous environment. Security is put in jeopardy and lives are endangered.
During the summer months, at the Mark W. Stiles Unit, the Unit was put on a two-day, one-day or ½ day lock-down when the outside temperature ranged from 97 degrees to about 103 degrees and the heat index was 110 plus. The reasons given were staff shortages. If you have ever stepped into a car during the summer months before the A/C is turned on, this is nearly what the cells feel like up until 11:00 PM at night.
TDCJ (Texas Dept of Criminal Justice) sells fans to inmates for $25 to help combat this heat. If an inmate does not have sufficient funds....
Texas law requires ANIMALS to be in a safe surrounding when temperatures are unsafe and it is considered a FELONY if their owner neglects them and puts them in harm’s way. We must provide safe and healthy conditions in our prisons which are institutions of rehabilitation and correction, NOT DEATH CHAMBERS.
If you agree, please write to Concerned Christians for Inmates, request the petition, gather signatures and mail it back to us so we can send it to the Governor and Legislators. To obtain more information along with a petition, write:
P.O. Box 101094 San Antonio, Texas 78102-9094,
One final note:
The answer to the test is (A) ANIMALS.
Please cut this article out and mail it to the above address. Inmates need relief from this cruel and unusual punishment called TORTURE.
No fear here,
Hal Parfait, Beaumont, TX