I resently read in the Austin paper that TDC is going to increase the number of inmate beds without the okay of the Legislature. I'm not sure how this works (threw the paper away) but apparently if they only increase by a certian percentage they do not need approval from anyone.

I could be wrong on this, but I believe that as long as the attorney general approves any recommendations made by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice for increasing bed capacity, the Government Code doesn't require any action from the legislature.

Re: Prison over-crowding and legislature for 2007.
Chairman Madden and Senator Whitmire:
As a tax-paying voter and citizen of the State Of
Texas, I wish to address each of you concerning
the following:
At the present time the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice system is hopelessly over-crowded and under-staffed, while simultaneously operating at or beyond
the maximum legal capacity permissible of law.
The 2007 session of the Texas Legislature has no choice but to address this issue in the upcoming session.
Be it known that I do not want any new prison built
within the state of Texas. We cannot fully nor properly fund the ones in existence. It is time that
Texas adjust their barbaric “throw away the key”
attitude with viable legislation.
Proposed Solution:
I request that legislation be passed during this session which would reduce the parole eligibility
requirements of all offenders currently serving under the ½ (50%) law from that of 50% minimum flat time before parole.
Parole Eligibility:
Legislation should be passed which provides for mandatory release for first time offenders (only!)
which meet their parole eligibility requirements
with satisfactory disciplinary records (which reflects an effort at rehabilitation).
All offenders, regardless of crime or sentencing
legislature, be given both “good time” and “work time” to be calculated concurrent with their flat time served and credited toward both parole eligibility status and discharge of sentence. (It is time that Texas come out of the “Dark Ages” and provide some type of ‘incentives’ for defenders to work and conduct themselves in a manner which reflects their active efforts at self-rehabilitation… We punish them when they do bad, then we should reward them when they do good.
All above legislation should be applied retroactively to all offenders.
We, the voting citizens of the state of Texas have spoken… We ask that our voices and wishes be both heard and applied by those whom we elect and pay their salaries. If we cannot get our wished carried out by those currently in office, then I can assure
you that this will be reflected at the upcoming elections.

Re: Prison over-crowding and legislature for 2007.
Chairman Madden and Senator Whitmire:
As a tax-paying voter and citizen of the State Of
Texas, I wish to address each of you concerning
the following:
At the present time the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice system is hopelessly over-crowded and under-staffed, while simultaneously operating at or beyond
the maximum legal capacity permissible of law.
The 2007 session of the Texas Legislature has no choice but to address this issue in the upcoming session.
Be it known that I do not want any new prison built
within the state of Texas. We cannot fully nor properly fund the ones in existence. It is time that
Texas adjust their barbaric “throw away the key”
attitude with viable legislation.
Proposed Solution:
I request that legislation be passed during this session which would reduce the parole eligibility
requirements of all offenders currently serving under the ½ (50%) law from that of 50% minimum flat time before parole.
Parole Eligibility:
Legislation should be passed which provides for mandatory release for first time offenders (only!)
which meet their parole eligibility requirements
with satisfactory disciplinary records (which reflects an effort at rehabilitation).
All offenders, regardless of crime or sentencing
legislature, be given both “good time” and “work time” to be calculated concurrent with their flat time served and credited toward both parole eligibility status and discharge of sentence. (It is time that Texas come out of the “Dark Ages” and provide some type of ‘incentives’ for defenders to work and conduct themselves in a manner which reflects their active efforts at self-rehabilitation… We punish them when they do bad, then we should reward them when they do good.
All above legislation should be applied retroactively to all offenders.
We, the voting citizens of the state of Texas have spoken… We ask that our voices and wishes be both heard and applied by those whom we elect and pay their salaries. If we cannot get our wished carried out by those currently in office, then I can assure
you that this will be reflected at the upcoming elections.

:angry:

Just a reminder...TDCJ (and all of its leaders) have plans to build one new prison in Texas each year without an end in sight. The % adding of beds to already-built units is quite intersting as well.

You know what they should be doing first of all. They should be studing on how to get the inmates that thye have right now and take care of them and then start looking into on how they can control the inmated population. If they build more beds you and we all know that they are going to be more fights and more deaths in your prison system.

deaths is population control to them. the prisons are already overcrowded. i read a thing on it and they want millions of dollars to hire more staff cause we dont have enough as it is. and they are proposing to build 10 more facilities or something like that.