http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4961614.html

If the Governor had not vetoed a good bill this never would have happened. The 500 who could have made bail would have been released --- therefore no need to move 300 offenders 400 miles away from their families! What a cluster!! We need a new Governor who cares about inmates and their families. The state should have to bear the financial burden --- not the county! Just my 2 cents!

Governor Perry needs to GO!! Inmates being sent to Louisiana?!! That is just ridiculous! And if they are state jail offenders send them to state jail facilities not let them sit in county. UGH!

Well in order to place state jail inmates in state jails they would have to clear over crowding which they refused to do. This is why more rehab and community services are needed so they could incarcerate those who require longer sentences or have more violent offences. It's ridiculous to move inmates to another state. They have inmates sitting in prison that are approved for parole but cannot into programs because they are full. Then they have these long programs which they could offer some of those services after release. :idea:

Man I Can Not Belive It! Yeah That's True We Need A New Govenor And A New President. Families Here Suffer For The Wrong Thing That The Govenor Does And That's Including The President As Well.

:banghead: Ditto, ditto, ditto and ditto!

UGHHH!!!!

Karen

Not trying to sound rude here, but.....
What makes any of us think that the next president/governor will be any more sympathetic to our positions? Why would any new lawmaker(s) take a stand WITH these inmates and taxpayers?
This problem is society as a whole......the way that inmates are second class citizens or even third class.....and the way that taxpayers had no say-so in this spending of MILLIONS of dollars.

I bet if they sat down and actually looked at the files of these county inmates, they'd find that most of them are from Louisiana to begin with. What they need to do is send back all the "Katrina Guests" and it would probably reduce the over crowding.

wow...never saw that one coming.

What Beto's said is somewhat of a fact. I have heard and read some articles on the fact that the Harris county jails are over capacity because of the "Katrina victims". But the question is where would they send them? In no way do I mean do be rude Beto but have you been to New Orleans lately? Still looks like hell if you ask me. There is no where for these people to go. I have several friends who are "Katrina evacuees" and they WANT to go back to New Orleans but simply can't for MANY reasons. I do understand your perspective but it is so much easier than said. Not to mention that a big part of why our jails are over crowded is because the judges just throw anyone in jails (or at least it seems) when they could in fact be sent somewhere else i.e. a treatment center etc. Just my two cents though.

My Mother-in-law came over last night. She is a Harris County Sheriffs Deputy in one of the jails downtown.

She says that there are 3-4 buses driving back and forth every day taking/delivering inmates to Epps, LA. She says that it is not just state jail people either...it is ANYONE. She said that who ever is making the decision on who to send over there is a complete idiot. Even if the person is being released in a few days, they may ride the bus to Epps, spend the night and ride it back the next day.

She says that they have crying, cussing parents/family up there everyday over there loved ones being moved to LA. One guy even broke one of the new 3000$ entry doors by kicking it.

Wow! That just sounds idiotic! But that's our wonderful jail/prison system. Nothing ever makes any sense.

I'm not sure what ever happened to "Common Sense" but there is a definite shortage of it these days!! GOOD GRIEF!!

Beto I think you are wrong and it's been known for quite sometime that Harris Co has a large population of offenders in TDCJ. They are number one for offenders being put on Death Row. To blame Katrina Survivors is so harsh and I wonder why someone didn't remind you that this is a support site as it is said so many times. I work with Katrina Survivors and many are hardworking people that would like to go home and cannot. Yes, there are many people that came from NOLA that are filling up our criminal justice system but I think Texans were doing a good job at it before Katrina and Rita hit. I work in both Houston and NOLA and visit both cities every month and I can tell you that Houston was not the safest city before survivors moved there(against their own free will). Our prisons are full because of several reasons. Some I don't think many of us want to face but the main reason is because people commit crimes. Our recitivism rate is high and our lawmakers are failing to see the big picture. We need more services for offenders, more treatment programs and community based programs for ex offenders and their families. I don't believe we need to or can afford to depend on TDCJ to do the right thing. I think the families of those inmates that are being sent to LA should protest like crazy. Regardless if it changes anything their voices should be heard. Katy is correct common sense is a huge shortage among those who made this decision. I know those families and inmates are crushed.

I pray for you and yours,..

tov