Saturday, March 27, 2010

The first rule of Prison Fight Club: Guards, don't get your ass kicked by the inmate forced to fight you

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has answered CBS 7’s open records request regarding a fight between a Fort Stockton correctional officer and an inmate.

The report states Officer Edgar Acosta and offender Lee James Clark were involved in a minor scuffle in the hallway.

When additional staff arrived, Clark complied and was taken to administrative segregation.

Officer Acosta then spoke with several supervisors, and was escorted to the same segregation room where Clark was waiting unsecured, and the two were left alone.

The men began fighting, and Clark struck Officer Acosta in the mouth, ending the fight.

Sources close to the case tell CBS 7 that the officers involved originally tried to cover up the incident; however that claim has not been verified by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Since the incident, two correctional officers have resigned, and two more have been relieved of duty.
The most remarkable thing about this story: Before Officer Acosta was taken to square off with the inmate in ad-seg, he "spoke with several supervisors" who apparently approved what was happening. That's a pretty telling statement about the culture of the place: This isn't just a rogue officer, if that's accurate; in the best case it's essentially a rogue unit. Worst case: There are more, similar instances at this and other units waiting to be discovered like odious, rotten Easter eggs that reporters were never told about. It's difficult to believe, given the complicity of Acosta's supervisors, that this was an isolated incident.


BB said...


You're title here is hilarious, and you are right on target with this one. We should discuss over coffee someday.


Michael said...

Apparently the first rule of Prison Fight Club is "Don't tell the press about Prison Fight Club." The second rule is "Don't tell the press about Prison Fight Club!"

Anonymous said...

The first rule of prison fight club ought to be "don't fight fair." Handcuff him, sit him in a chair and then start kicking him the nuts.

Or if he's a little guy, set him up with a booty bandit.

Anonymous said...

Although I wasn't locked up until '96, there were still stories going around about inmates and officers going at it to settle their differences. It was done with fisticuffs, and ended where it started, never went anywhere else. A former BT I knew said he had personally whooped several field bosses. Back then, nobody snitched or else they suffered the consequences. Chances are, Acosta got what he deserved, and he's lucky he didn't get worse.

Anonymous said...

oh - and to 3:29...get bent, ass hole. You're the one who needs a booty bandit. You'd probably enjoy it and ask for more.

Michael said...

Anon 3:29: Mr. Rove, if you're going to continue advocating torture at least sign your name.

sunray's wench said...

Scott, you sound surprised that supervisors would condone such behaviour in TDCJ.

Gritsforbreakfast said...

Actually yes, Sunray. I'm not surprised it still goes on, but I'm surprised that it was cleared by multiple supervisors who had the guy formally escorted to ad seg for the event.

That's pretty old school stuff. I've been under the impression that such overt, institutionally sanctioned examples of this kind of thing had mostly vanished along with building tenders, etc., in the post-William Wayne Justice era. Clearly that was naive.

sunray's wench said...

But they really are not answerable to anyone. Inmate complaints against things like this are dealt with at unit-level first, often by the Officers involved in the original infraction (although perhaps not present, they could be the supervising officer that was on shift at the time), and who is going to take the word of an inmate against the word of one of your officers?

If a Warden turns a blind eye to such behaviour, then it will never go any further than the unit. And Wardens don't have to explain themselves to anyone.

TDCJ EX said...

This is noting new it has gone in for years if not decades in TDCJ or it's earlier incarnation TDC .What is new is that is is in the news . Post Ruiz somethings have changed but not attitudes and those who choose to become bosses and rank . All the torture people were outraged about when it involved places such as Abu Garib and Gitmo have gone on in TDCJ and probably every US prison well before we invaded Iraq . Where do you think they got the ideas from ? If we meaning theUS are going ti be the worlds cop demand other nations end human rights abuses and crimes agsint humanity we damn well better have our house in order . Any one who has done time wil tell first hand that we have a long ways to go .

Prisoners and those who have done time have long spoken out about this abuse and torture are often called lairs or exaggerating . When your loved on in TDCJ tell you about abuse believe them . It is up to those who have some one they care about in TDCJ or any prison system for that matter to force changes no one else is going The anon trolls mentality is all to common that our prisoner get anything they deserve . Wrong the punishment was being removed from society not to be tortured and abused In ways that would get a citizen a very long prison sentence and also have gotten many convicted of crimes against humanity

This is just another issue that most think it is not going to be them . It can be you . To read what some write or talk you would think that they believe any one who has been convicted is a separate species until it is them or some one they care about .

If anyone thinks that a person who has been abuse is going to come out of prison with out serious problems they are not dealing with reality a 90 some odd % of those in prison will be released moist within 10 years . Something to think about .

Anonymous said...

While I realize this example I am about to give is in no way comparable to what happened in Grits's article, it does illustrate the retaliation practiced for even the smallest of incidents and the helplessness of the inmates.

While in the SAFP program at the women's unit in Gatesville, I filed a grievance regarding the food. It was being served in an inedible form--rice so gelatinous and sticky it was served in balls and you could literally toss these balls in the air and not one grain would fall off, meals comprised of nothing but beans for days on end, meals full of sticks and rocks from the field, cereal containers with enormous holes gnawed by rats, etc.

As required, I turned my grievance in to the dorm officer on duty--a German lady bearing a strong resemblance to Red Sonja's Brigitte Nielson. She sneered at me and snatched it from my hand.

That evening, as we met in the dayroom for a required group, the officer made a huge production of going to my cubicle and tearing it to shreds, under the guise of a shakedown. She threw my personal photos of my children on the floor, stomped on them and ground the heel of her boots into their faces, ripped letters and cards in half and threw them across the dorm, ruined all the food I had purchased from commissary, and on and on. It took many hours to restore the cubicle and even the other inmates were shocked and horrified--as they were meant to be. As she finished her "work" she strode back to her seat saying loudly "THAT will teach you to file a grievance!!"

This same scene took place almost every time a grievance was filed over ANYTHING, no matter how tiny. If this is the case, how can anyone expect inmates to be able to get the truth of things like this fight out to the public and the media? It's a hidden world inside TDCJ and they DO AS THEY PLEASE, up to and including killing inmates, without reprisal. And that's the truth--from someone who has been there.

TDCJ EX said...

Anon 11:23
What you said is a common occurrence on TDCJ units. In fact tey do get away with horrific things imagine a 120 lb 18 year old being “hogtied” , I( a illegal practice )cuffed and shacked gassed with pepper spayed then kicked and beaten to bloody pulp by 4 250 lob bosses because the poor kid di not know what “Deuce it up meant” ! The after that stripped naked and made to stand in a holding cage which every one can see you when they wait for rank and medical to arrive. The Use of Force camera is noticeably absent I routinely saw abuses and torture like that . The humiliating and intentionally degrading strip searches carried many times a day they very rarely produced any contraband mostly because the bosses or rank bringing it in knew when the searches were going to happen and made sure their mule was not carrying anything . I have been in many of these group strip searches and never once saw anything found .

Oh the photographing of naked prisoners that goes on too. It is a common thing . Under the guies of security . The cover all for abuse and torturer
If a person does file a grievance far too often the result is retaliation on one form or another.

Although seemingly petty , one cruel trick bosses do is when they want to make life hell for a particular dorm wing or pod . They wait for that areas scheduled time to go to store(commissary ) and then a good 10 – 20 + bosses will appear out of “nowhere” jump inline and buy things such as all the stamps and envelopes as mail is often the highlight of your day and now you have to wait at minimum 2 weeks to get any if you don't have any left you can have up to 66 stamps on you per month and buy 33 a every two weeks at most .10 -20 bosses can easily buy all the stamps for that area they wish to punish and having freeworld contract often is a good way to maintain good behavior as well as give the prisoners a outlet outside of prisoners to have contact with . Taking that away can begin to amount to torture and abuse though seemingly petty . Then their is the cases for getting a cut on your hand it is called not being aware of your surroundings so you don't go to medical and get a cut treated and end up with a infection . Just a few things . That seems petty but add up to psychological torture .

This torture does affect very one any one who says it does not is either not being honest or completely out of touch with reality, no man is an island .

Yes it is true they can and do get away with murder because no one cares and thinks it wont be them going to a TDCJ unit or other prison . Because they are not “one of those people” Didn't that happen more than a few times in history .

About SAFP Google SAFP and Gateway .

Anonymous said...

Wow, lots of comments. I have never seen anything like this happen on any unit I have been assigned to, Sometimes you have youngsters trying to live up to old stories., but that behavior is not condoned, encouraged and is a firing offense. There are no secrets in TDCJ and even that type of talk is squashed by good supervisors. Those who encouraged it should not be employed as officers.

Anonymous said...

Which 'thugs' are the worse- the ones placed there by the criminal justice system, or the ones hired by the criminal justice system to supervise?

Michael said...

The reason prison guards have uniforms is frequently, it's the only way to distinguish them from the inmates.

Anonymous said...

We called it gladiator night in tyc. Fighting was how we blew off steam. Hey Sunrays wench what school were you at in Gatesville? I was at Mountain View and Terrace. The underlying reason they turned that place Gatesville over to tdc was because of all the unmarked graves of boys those bustards’ murdered. The state didn’t want anyone digging up any bones of children while building houses or swimming pools.
Also think about the little punk mentality who get hired, they have to hog tie a prisoner and it still take 3 or 4 punk boss to whip up on you. I think it’s because they really want to be awoman but fight it and because they are ignorant as well tdc makes a great place for them to work.

Sheldon tyc # 47333 c/s

sunrays wench said...

Sheldon ~ I've only ever been inside a correctional facility as a visitor, but I have eyes and ears and know enough people on both sides of the Atlantic who have been residents inside units to have a reasonable idea of what goes on inside them. More than that though, I take an interest. I dont assume it could never happen to me or any of my family.

TDCJ EX said...

Sheldon Yes I have been on a TDCJ unit I would prefer not to disclose which one though . Other than it is a maximum security unit built during the prison building spree of the 90s . I have learned not to talk about which one publicly unfortunately.

I agree that a certain type of personalty is attracted to being a boss and many bosses andrank are abusive off the job as well. It was well known on every unit though not much ever happendto them . It is extremely difficult to convict a boss or rank ina prison town or county . The wholecomunity will rally around the accused boss despite often overwhelming evidence and few jury's in prison towns convict bosses or rank convict despite irrefutable evince such as a viedi recording of the incident

To answer the question . Of who is worse the Bosses .They use their total authority and lack of accountability.

Sunray I am well aware you do not assume it wont happen to you or your family you know all to well it can . Unfortunately you are in the minority most people do not want to think that for what evr reason they could end up in a TDCJ unit and dealing with the abuses and torture that are accpetrd as routine policy . Very real and legitimate fear of retaliation is what alloows this to continue .

The only way the abuse and torture will stop is when the public demands it stopped . If more ple make make public what the lived in TDCJ or TYC the harder it becomes to ignore .

At the rate TX convicts and sentence soon a very large segment of the population will either have been in or be in TDCJ . I forget off hand the figure but a large number already either have been or know some one who has been in TDCJ it is over 20 % of the population . A fast growing demographic group that has the potential to wield considerable political power if they would get together and be come more politically active . Though more than likely the federal government will be back to oversee TDCJ again . We need a lot more William Wayne Justices on the bench

Anonymous said...

Ive worked for TDCJ for 25 years I have never seen this kind of behavior by any of the officers I worked with. I have seen Inmates jump officers for no other reason other than they woke up mad at the world. I've jumped once had urine thrown in my face twice while feeding meals and I've been spit on 3 times in the 25 years I've worked for TDCJ. With that being said I've always treated the inmates like I would expect to be treated if I was locked up. Contrary to popular belief we are not there to punish inmates we are there to maintain a safe secure place to house convicted felonies and to protect the public no matter what they are locked up for. For all of those who say this is a bunch of BS I challenge you to walk in our shoes for a day.

sunrays wench said...

Anon 4.07 ~ no one is saying that ALL officers behave in this way, and no one is saying that NO inmates ever attack officers. I'm very glad that you have not witnessed this kind of behaviour, I wish more officers could say the same. No one should be in fear of their personal safety while at work, or where they are living. But just as we saw with the torture of prisoners in Iraq by soldiers, sometimes the possibility of unacceptable behaviour is too strong to resist.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your post sometimes it's hard for good officers when there is so much negative stuff going on in TDCJ. For the most part I've enjoyed my job with TDCJ and hope I have had a positive effect on the offenders that I have came in contact with and the staff I have worked with over the years. It hurts me to my soul when officers make bad choices or lets an offender steal his cool and says or does something with out thinking it through. It's hard some time when your pouring some one a cup of coffee and they throw urine on you and all you can do is write a case on that person. In the streets you wouldn't take that from anyone but in a prison setting you you wash off put on a clean uniform if your lucky finish feeding chow write the case and put in behind you. Not all people are cut out for this job but for the ones that are they do deserve respect. Thank you.

TDCJ EX said...

Does anon 4:07 and anon 4:00Am honestly expect any one to believe they never saw a boss or rank abuse or torturer prisoner ? That is unsupportable statement . I suppose that not only all the posters hear a who have see torture by bosses are wrong, news broadcast is wrong . People else where who talk about the abuses and torturer in TDCJ are wrong and what ever a boss or rank says is the absolute truth?Bosses and rank always the good guys just protecting public . I have seen you guys in action and I can say your version of safe and secure is not the version that is commonly accepted or found in any dictionary . Your version of what goes on in TDCJ is not even close to what I and thousands of others saw . That is one hell of a disconnect . You two are the only people who have never sen a co worker do anything wrong . that is just unbelievable

But I'm not surprised it is they typical boss response to any accounts of torture and abuse .
I find it impossible to believe a boss never in 25 years saw any abuse or torture at the hands of bosses when I saw it routinely as have thousands of others . I forget we are all just convicts ex convict or “liberal activists” we are wrong by default . You are a boss and always right by default that is what goes on daily in TDCJ why should you change in the freeworld . It is bosses like you who by your denial and silence allow the torture and abuse to continue unabated . I would say the response by bosses here show their behavior when they get caught deny it and blame the prisoners. Who are easy to blame they can't speak out .

No has said that prisoners do do things that are just as dangerous . When I was in a TDCJ unit most of the violent behavior, assaults an so on was initiated what we called “ the law “ . As for the tossing coffee please , I have seen that and no the boss does not just write a case often out comes the Tactical baton and pepper spray . and bosses then cuffs and shackled said prisoner and beat him or on a on female unit, her . Then they write a case . The case writing is another issue when a robo cop will be writing case for situations that should have been verbally resolved or not written . The bosses would like the public to believe that they never do anything wrong and are blameless that is not even close to a reasonable position .Most of the lashing out by prisoners is due to the treatment the receive at the hands of bosses and rank . While some are just evil most have been pushed psychologically to the breaking point by bosses and rank If you want rep sect give it that means to every prisoner ,to every visitor to every person who calls a unit to any member of the public who happen to be your employers . The mentality of abuse and torture is not a few bad apples, it as Phillip Zimbardo said is the whole barrel . Google the Lucifer Effect .

Anonymous said...

TDJC-ex, now that you're in the free world maybe you can see things from the other side. The guards have to worry about their own safety.

Sometimes when guards become abusive its because they are just being assholes, but sometimes they are just trying to maintain order.

TDCJ EX said...

I did not know that torture and abuse are required to maintain order . . Yo do not need to do any of the things mentioned to maintain order . That is h just a excuse . The institutional mentality of abuse and torture is not a a few bad apples it is the unwritten policy and encouraged if not openly known in every unit .I rarely hear of a boss prosecuted for their crimes . When all those who do then I might in k differently . None of the abuses or forms of torture mentioned are required to maintain order . I had no idea that hogtying and gassing and 4 or 5 250 lb bosses beating a poor kid who did not know what deuce it up means is maintain order ? It seems bosses don't like the fact that their brutality , cruelty and crimes are being expose to their public many of whom have loved ones in a TDCJ unit .

Anonymous said...

Your Are a straight up LIAR EX TDCJ. FORCE IS THE ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT. The chain gang days are long gone It's cable TV schools Including College Vocational courses, 3 hot meals a day free medical and free laundry service. Heck If I were homeless and was sick why not come to prison your taken of way better than some folks on the street. All kind of help groups religious AA Parenting class. I've seen officers get in trouble for telling an offender to shut up and listen. With that being said the last thing one wants is to put your hands on one and taking a chance to go to prison or getting sued or fired.mento

sunrays wench said...

I will not tar all officers with the same brush. I can just about accept that an individual officer may not witness first-hand any acts that he or she may consider to be torture, but "abuse" is a movable feast. What one person considers to be abuse, may be acceptable use of force to another.

I imagine if an officer spent the majority of their time in a low security unit, or as a field boss, or perhaps working part time in the visitation room, they would be less likely to see anything that most would consider to be torture.

But that doesn't mean that other officers elsewhere weren't reacting, retalliating, or simply landing the first punch or kick.

TDCJ EX said...

You are now showing the behavior of a TDCJ boss when all else fails call the person making the claim a lair ! I recall the “I 'm in gray you are in white who do you think is going to be believed? “ many many times . It does not work out side of TDCJ bossman . The statement a boss never hit a prisoner or abused one is not remotely possible. The idea that a boss never assaulted and misuse thier total authority is not probable .Not in any form you are saying you are 100% correct that is not possible . no one is . But to say bosses never ever do the things myself and many many others say is not remotely supportable or believable . I thank you for showing your true colors and the typical behavior of a TDCJ boss

No one has said there are not some prisoners who are out of control hell their are those who I wished were in seg for the duration for some reason I can only guess at , contraband comes to mind . But never were .. Such is life . The fact is most prisoners just want to do their time and get the hell out off TDCJ .

Yes they have college or vocational classes if people in the freeworld can afford them if not you are SOL . Try finding a job with a felony conviction .I just happen to be extremely fortunate and am aware of it

You know damn well the food in ODR is not the same food prisoners get .

But what is wrong with courses to help a prisoner as for UTMB and medical I suppose if you cal giving a aspirin for all that ails you health care I loved the video appointments. Yep that doctor sure was able to treat me he was not . Ashe just said to rest and take ibuprofen for a broken leg I got work at my unpaid job because a boss was in a hurray to go talk to his mule and weed supplier . Waiting catch medical chain can take months . For what often gets you a ambulance ride in the freeworld . If you do not have freeworld contact you can forget about any health care . I knew the contract service is set up to make a huge profit y not treating . I recall a guy getting poison ivy he was given a CMT tablet . And told to go to his cell . Later he broke out and we tried to give him CMT and itch cream one guy was given a traffic and trading case fro helping the guy how thoughtful of robo cop boss ! How the hell does most of the population in TDCJ begin to afford a attorney to sue TDCJ

By the way it is “Shut the fuck up asshole If you don't fucking like to fucking bad motherfucker pice of shit .” TDCJ bosses have difficulty speaking with out using fuck as a verb pro noun adverb adjective noun and and so on Rarely do you here offender XXXXX stop talking and let me speak That is official policy obviously shut up and listen is not a big deal .

Why is it what in the freeworld is a felony that land you in TDCJ, called maintaining order and security when done by TDCJ employees ?

Regarding the incident that started this the fact that so far 4 bosses 3 of them rank have resigned is telling in itself . There is a lot more tot his and it is system wide . It is time for another William Wayne Justice and long term federal oversight of TDCJ apparently TX cannot or will not treat it prisoners s in a humane manner . It is 2010 not the 1800 or even the 1960s .We can do better . Then we don't need a huge and growing prison population either bu that is a whole different discussion .

Anonymous said...

You sure lay it on thick. AS a matter of fact the food is the same as in the ODR And on some units the officers eat in the same chow hall as the offenders. I've seen staff pull food out of the ODR and take the food to the offenders chow hall because they were running out there. You are crazy if you think the kit. capt. cook 2 different meals and cut into his budget. Yes there are bad officers in TDCJ all you have to do is read the news but it is not as wide spread as you would have the public believe. AS far as calling you a LIAR what do YOU call some one who doesn't tell the TRUTH. I wish TDCJ WOULD LET THE PUBLIC SEE ALL OF OUR DAILY EAC REPORTS JUST SO THEY COULD PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE ABOUT WHO REALLY IS GETTING ASSAULTED ON A DAILY BASIS But then who cares if officers get beat down. BUT I KNOW YOU NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG WHILE YOU WERE LOCKED UP YOU WERE A MODEL INMATE RIGHT OR WERE YOU A CELL WARRIOR. IF you were locked up 20 years ago some of that crap may have went on but since William Wayne put TDCJ under a court order harsh treatment is not put up with.

TDCJ EX said...

Now it is clear you are either lying or never worked for TDCJ . I know that two different versions of the same meal are cooked one for ODR one for convicts . They just leave out things that they should include for the convicts. That cuts costs and TDCJ can show that they cook nutritional meals by cutting back on what they feed prisoners cut costs . It is a accounting trick .

Cody Basham who on his website claimed he wanted to kill prisoners nope not problem at all Those bosses who helped the child molester on Estelle escape ? Nope nothing here .

The women who worked at Polunsky and posted about assaulting prisoners on line nope not a institutional problem all that went away post Ruiz !

That is the very shot list .

EAC reports require us to believe the boss who are probably lying ..I know for a fact bosses will start a fight with a prisoner and then make up stuff I rarely saw anyone win a case .

Just because a boss writes something does not make it true . I never claimed to be a saint but I sure as hell did not come anywhere what I saw bosses do routinely .I did not have O/C Gas, a tactical baton and cuff and shackles along with a system that protected me from any legal action. I can say that most of the bosses who did get assaulted usually asked for it by abusing and pushing some one to the point where thy snapped and fought back .

Why did it take a law suit to slowdown the sexual assaults on the female units and other things such as forcing those women to strip in public the cages they go put into if they could not keep up on those 100 degree days . Now the women get a major case something along the lines of refusing to work and follow a direct order that the18 year new boot can issue and expected to be followed with out question regardless of what it is .

Just because Judge Justice tried to stop the abuse and torture in TDCJ does not mean it that it has been stopped it just gets renamed The institutional mentality of abuse and torture and that a bosses job is to punish has never stopped . I could careless what they teach at academies . New boots learn from the bosses and rank they work with .

Why are bosses fighting surveillance cameras on units ? They will get caught? Who brings in most of the contraband bosses and rank . I want them on every unit run by a independent organization and the recordings available to any one who can show a valid I D and pay a small fee to cover costs .say $10 . Hell I want the recordings on the news so the public can see for themselves what goes on in TDCJ .

I'm still waiting for the bosses and rank who helped Tabler and others on Death row to have a cell phone as they are the only ones who could do that They should be looking at 60 years considering the types of people they allowed to have access to a cell phone . Some of those guys on DR are very dangerous and have no trouble at all using a cell phone to commit all kinds of things that make the garden variety convict look like a saint

You protest far to much and too loudly .Are you one of the bosses who abuses and tortures prisoners ?

For all I know with today's technology someone already has recorded the abuse and torture perpetrated by bosses and sent it to some one who can do something about it .Could it by this is what TDCJ bosses , rank and administration are afraid of .? Your comments are what got me to think that . Is it possible there already is a investigation going on

The more TDCJ covers up the worse it looks, the more expensive it gets or is there much more to this ? Just how corrupt is the TX justice system my guess it is rotten from top to bottom and rebuilt firing every boss and reopening every case so be it . . The longer the state drags it out the worse and more expensive it gets .

Anonymous said...

Well there is 1 thing that we both agree on is every dirty officer or staff member should Go to prison and get double or triple the time someone on the street committing the same crime would get. You can ask 95% of inmates or offenders I have ever come in contact with they will tell you that I am a fair and easy going officer that doesn't write BS cases, I have found that most issues can be handled by just talking it out. I'm a firm believer in verbal intervention. With that I'm finished with this post. Have a good and blessed life.

Anonymous said...

Clyde Barrow did right by the TDCJ boss’s.

Anonymous said...

WE all know how clyde end up. Trick

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the segway Trick.
Do we all know what happen to Clyde Barrow? We all saw the movie, after numerous failed attempts by law enforcement to bring Clyde to justice he was caught up in a cowardly ambush and murdered. Barrow may have been a lot of things but payback to Major Dushbag and some of his cohorts was an act of righteousness perpetrated by an evil man. The cowardly ambush was done by men who were associated with the Texas department of corrections in retaliation for Major Dushbag getting his just rewards. Barrows execution and capture was achieved through an act of revenge perpetrated by men who were associated with the Texas department of corrections and not through due process of law enforcement. Hooray, a murderous gang is off the streets thanks to an elite hit squad from Texas. The ends justify the means. Major Dushbag gets a farm named after him and the cruel and inhuman treatment of Texas slaves continues.
The point here for reasoning people is TDCJ has a cultural history of revenge and retaliation be it a boss getting in the way of an inmate’s line and getting his punk ass kicked or the frail older woman who makes a complaint about rat droppings in her grits getting trounced by Broomhilda and the crew. The fact that the corrections departments have gotten away with this cruel and inhuman treatment of prisoner for so long has created the even bigger monster, the arrogance in which they do it. This culture with its cultivated arrogance could be a direct result of the government hiring policy’s like affirmative action where hiring the entitlement thinking people of our society thereby giving them a platform to feed their hatred with revenge and retaliation.
Absolute power corrupts and the taxpaying slaves are too stupid to care. A good example of our politicians laughing and thinking tax payers and voters are stupid is TDCJ’s Owens klan. Someone wrote in the 80’s regarding affirmative action, as we promote and glorify members of the entitlement society we eventually give them a platform for their revenge and retaliation against our country. We recently saw this platform crumble in Dallas with the resignation of a congress woman, and I fear its only the tip of the iceberg of our crumbling society. And the arrogant and ignorant would defend against this type of thinking as racist. Soon we as a society, griped by fear of what others think and thereby unable to stand up for ourselves, will be convinced that our constitution is a racist document. Then our slavery will be much more obvious.
Take off the uniform and you can’t tell who the thugs are.

Anonymous said...

You know lets just turn everyone loose and we will all kiss there ass as they walk out the door. will that make you happy. as a matter of fact lets just do away with all the laws and give everyone a gun and a life time of ammo. Or maybe we should all fire up a fat boy hold hands and sing camp fire songs. Maybe we could go old testament and just do the eye for an eye thing. I'm curious what is your ideal of prison. I mean when you have 75% of repeat offenders I mean how bad is prison.

x684867 said...

As a former inmate, who served time from 1994 to 2004, I would have to agree with Michael. Don't advocate torture, abuse or violence unless you have the audacity to put a name to it. Anything less's no different then the cell warriors I didn't like any better back when I was on Ferguson, Beto or Terrell.

I remember several incidents such as those described in this report, and I can honestly tell you it is counter productive for both the prison system AND the state of Texas. Texas should stand proud of its EXTREMELY low recidivism rates (half that of California). We have achieved this milestone and continue to excel because of those who leave the old culture in the history books, not because we glorify that violence.