Joy
07-20-2002, 12:37 AM
I'm sorry, but as I read this, I feel like this is just political run around. They let people speak so that we might think they are actually listening and care what we have to say.
TDCJ allows public addresses
By Amy Westerman/Staff Writer
Eight members of the public addressed the Texas Board of Criminal Justice during its regular session Friday, speaking on issues ranging from conditions on death row to thanking the board for renaming a multi-purpose room at a prison unit.
Friday's session marked the first time the board has opened the floor to public comments during one of its regular bimonthly meetings.
Michelle Lyons, public information officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said the comments seemed to provide the board with good feedback.
"This is going to be, we hope, an annual event to invite the public to address the board," Lyons said.
The board gave the speakers three minutes each and asked them not to speak about issues which the board doesn't control, like the death penalty or personal and inmate grievances, Lyons said.
"We already have avenues to deal with those sorts of issues," she said.
The board consists of nine members who are appointed by the governor to oversee TDCJ. The board sets rules and policies which guide the agency's operations, but it has no control over issues such as the death penalty, which are decided through legislative processes.
One speaker asked the board why death row inmates weren't allowed televisions in their cells, Lyons said. Inmates used to have televisions when death row was located in the Ellis Unit, but they haven't had them since moving to the Polunsky Unit in 2000.
Another speaker with the Texas Moratorium Network asked the board to consider providing arts and crafts activities for death row inmates.
Two speakers identified themselves as being associated with an organization, Lyons said. One speaker with the American Civil Liberties Union requested the board to examine policies on inmate property storage, such as how long property can be stored in a cell if an inmate is transferred, Lyons said.
The board couldn't address items that were not on Friday's agenda, according to the Texas Open Meetings and Open Records Act.
However, they could decide to discuss the issue at a future meeting, Lyons said. The speakers will receive an answer from the board for each of their issues.
"The board will be providing written responses to each of the speakers," she said, adding she didn't know when the responses would be available.
In order to speak at the meeting, people had to fill out registration cards beforehand, including their name, a statement as to whether they were reimbursed for their comments, whether they were a lobbyist and their stance and a statement that the information presented was true and accurate.
TDCJ allows public addresses
By Amy Westerman/Staff Writer
Eight members of the public addressed the Texas Board of Criminal Justice during its regular session Friday, speaking on issues ranging from conditions on death row to thanking the board for renaming a multi-purpose room at a prison unit.
Friday's session marked the first time the board has opened the floor to public comments during one of its regular bimonthly meetings.
Michelle Lyons, public information officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said the comments seemed to provide the board with good feedback.
"This is going to be, we hope, an annual event to invite the public to address the board," Lyons said.
The board gave the speakers three minutes each and asked them not to speak about issues which the board doesn't control, like the death penalty or personal and inmate grievances, Lyons said.
"We already have avenues to deal with those sorts of issues," she said.
The board consists of nine members who are appointed by the governor to oversee TDCJ. The board sets rules and policies which guide the agency's operations, but it has no control over issues such as the death penalty, which are decided through legislative processes.
One speaker asked the board why death row inmates weren't allowed televisions in their cells, Lyons said. Inmates used to have televisions when death row was located in the Ellis Unit, but they haven't had them since moving to the Polunsky Unit in 2000.
Another speaker with the Texas Moratorium Network asked the board to consider providing arts and crafts activities for death row inmates.
Two speakers identified themselves as being associated with an organization, Lyons said. One speaker with the American Civil Liberties Union requested the board to examine policies on inmate property storage, such as how long property can be stored in a cell if an inmate is transferred, Lyons said.
The board couldn't address items that were not on Friday's agenda, according to the Texas Open Meetings and Open Records Act.
However, they could decide to discuss the issue at a future meeting, Lyons said. The speakers will receive an answer from the board for each of their issues.
"The board will be providing written responses to each of the speakers," she said, adding she didn't know when the responses would be available.
In order to speak at the meeting, people had to fill out registration cards beforehand, including their name, a statement as to whether they were reimbursed for their comments, whether they were a lobbyist and their stance and a statement that the information presented was true and accurate.