My friend in Hobby Unit is being sexually harassed by a guard at the Hobby Unit. She told the warden and the warden told her file a report about it. She did,
and she had 2 witnesses to this sexual harassment file reports on her behalf as
well. The problem is that the guard is still harassing her by showing up in her building without anyone seeing him and trying to watch her take a shower. She is scared.I mean really scared. She thought that sense a complaint had been filed against him, he wouldn't be aloud to work in her area or in her building. But she says that he pops up out of nowhere.
Are the any written proceedures at TDCJ for this type of complaint? And just what can I do or who can I call to help her get away from this sicko? I'm ready to kick some a__ over this but I know that there are better answers out ther somewhere.
Thank you for any info you can help me with.

Papi

My friend in Hobby Unit is being sexually harassed by a guard at the Hobby Unit. She told the warden and the warden told her file a report about it. She did,
and she had 2 witnesses to this sexual harassment file reports on her behalf as
well. The problem is that the guard is still harassing her by showing up in her building without anyone seeing him and trying to watch her take a shower. She is scared.I mean really scared. She thought that sense a complaint had been filed against him, he wouldn't be aloud to work in her area or in her building. But she says that he pops up out of nowhere.
Are the any written proceedures at TDCJ for this type of complaint? And just what can I do or who can I call to help her get away from this sicko? I'm ready to kick some a__ over this but I know that there are better answers out ther somewhere.
Thank you for any info you can help me with.

Papi
You call the warden yourself and tell the warden that your friend has informed you of what is going on. The number is: (254) 883-5561. I am not sure what else you should do or who else you should call.

Val

...and mention the media when you call. If they're smart, they'll jump on it faster than you'd believe, most likely.

She needs to file a grievance and if possible you can call the ombudsmans office 936.437.6791 and file a complaint.

Thanks Crack -- I knew one of you would ride in to the rescue -- never had to deal with that one!

She definately needs to file a grievance. Then if that one doesnt work file a step two grievance. She needs to be the one to get things started. Then I would call the warden of the unit and talk to him. If he doesnt Take care of it. Call the Obudsmans office and file a complaint. I hope you get this worked out. It is not right that this guard is harrassing her like this. If you need anything I am just a pm away.

The CO would have to reply to the grievance and things like that would make the remainder of her time there miserable. Also rank will "cut" for their CO's by making things like that grievance "accidently" disappear. She should "drop" an I 60 to the warden on down, that way, the CO won't know.

be persistent...

Thanks CO. Never thought I would say that :D ! Just kidding, this is good to know and I am glad you shared it with us.

If you do not get a suitable response to the complaint I would inform Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Both organisations have collected data
on sexual harassment of women in US prisons and repeatedly complain and write reports on the bad situation in the US.
In addition it might be useful to remind the warden that sexual harassment of inmates by prison or jail employees is actionable. The inmate could sue for damages under Federal statute 42 U.S.C. 1983. A lawsuit brought under this law is based on a claim that a governmental entity deprived the individual of a constitutional right. Courts have held that prisoners are entitled to protection under the eighth amendment to be free from sexual harassment at the hands of prison staff.9 The plaintiff would need to allege facts demonstrating unlawful conduct in support of the claim.

Is PTO gereat or what?

Indeed PTO is a remarkable place.
I very much wanted to thank COTDCJ for his/her contribution....he/she is a part of what makes PTO such an amazing resource!

There is a lady helga dill that deals with the prisons and gets things done if you would like I could contact her or you can pm me and i will give you here email and you can contact her for help she is an attorney and a memeber o another site i am a member she is great and at least can give you some advice if not contact the prison herself. Good luck i was at hobby and although i never saw anything it does go on I know. Another guy I talk with has also said a girl he writes was harrassed by a guard on the hoe squad and got a case cause she would not cooperate he is in contact with helga now so let me know good luck to you both.

To my Texas PTO friends,
Thank you so much for all your responses. This to me is one of the worse things that could happen to a female inmate. Right after I made this thread I got a touch of a virus or something(cough,sinus infection,slight fever,etc) and was not able to persue any of your suggestions. However, I called her son today and he and his kids got to visit her this past weekend. He told me that everything is fine now cause they finally transferred that creep out of that unit. He said he had a good talk with the warden and her mom made calls to others at TDCJ.
One of the things that I didn't mention, and your not gonna believe this, but for about the past 3 or 4 months, in her building, directly over her bunk, was a bird nest with 1 bird living in it. The inmates were told not to feed it but they did anyway, and for some reason the guards couldn't or wouldn't get rid of it.
Now I don't think that I have to tell any of you about what was happening to her blanket, her pillow, her clothes, and on occasion in her coffee and on her food. Yummy!!! Well her son said that they finally moved her to another bunk.
So for now, no more sexual harassment and no more birdie harassment. Now she can sleep in peace.WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!
Thanks again
Papi

I am so glad to hear the update. No female/male inmate deserves to go through something like this. I am glad that they did something with that CO. What is sad it is COs like that, that give the other ones a bad rep.

I hope they actually did something instead of just moving him somewhere else to harrass someone else!

Papi that is great! That stuff with about the bird is just nasty, I for one would have lost my mind, I hate birds! Glad she is doing better but I agree with Val, I really hope something is done before this guy gets out of hand.

The CO would have to reply to the grievance and things like that would make the remainder of her time there miserable. Also rank will "cut" for their CO's by making things like that grievance "accidently" disappear. She should "drop" an I 60 to the warden on down, that way, the CO won't know.
For the record: no rank can "cut" for a CO and make the grievance disappear. All greviances are handled by an offical called a Grievance Officer--who is the only person supposed to handle them. The ONLY instance it will "disappear" is if the offender constantly and repeatedly submits grievances and the Grievance Officer deems them to frivilous.

xnothingx: I mean you no disrespect, but that statement just doesn't hold water. My husband has been in for 10 years -- I have a friend whose husband has been in for over 16 years. Grievances do disappear, so do I60s for phone calls, requests to see rank and a lot of other things.

You may not have ever done that, but it happens every day. Maybe it's because there isn't enough of you, maybe it's because some of you just aren't trained well enough, maybe it's because the screening process didn't weed out those who just like to "lord it over others" but it happens and it happens every day and it happens at every unit.

If the "good ol' boy" system didn't exist, explain to me how a person can be demoted from Major for some sort of incident, transferred to another unit and within 5 1/2 months be promoted through ranks back up to Major?

All I am asking for from TDCJ is some honesty and equal treatment. I didn't think that would be asking too much for my husband and 150,000 of his closest friends. But obviously, I and my friends are going to have to continue to "fight the good fight" because we just don't contribute enough to anyone's campaign and we just don't count.

These are my personal opinions and are not those of anyone else who uses or is involved in running PTO.

For the record: no rank can "cut" for a CO and make the grievance disappear. All greviances are handled by an offical called a Grievance Officer--who is the only person supposed to handle them. The ONLY instance it will "disappear" is if the offender constantly and repeatedly submits grievances and the Grievance Officer deems them to frivilous.

I called her son today and he and his kids got to visit her this past weekend. He told me that everything is fine now cause they finally transferred that creep out of that unit. He said he had a good talk with the warden and her mom made calls to others at TDCJ.



Is that it!!!!

So the CO gets transfered to another unit, and this girl is freed from harrassment well at least for the time being. Haven't they just transferred the problem to another young girl to deal with.

Its not over, and I would encourage someone over there to write to the department responsible for that prison and request an investigation and if it is found that he acted inappropriately or abused his position for his own sexual gratification then that CO should be transfered to a male correctional facility
at the earliest opportunity so he cannot do more harm and if the investigation proves that he has been doing to others as well then dismissal from the service is appropriate.

If he can't be transfered have it noted on the officers file, and ask the Ombudsman's office to make sure it is done once the investigation is completed.

Please don't leave this unfinished

Maybe he'd like to know like some of our loved ones have found out what Texas Justice is like for SOs cause he certainly meets the criteria!

I'm not mad or argumentative, but part of your post really offends me. I'm sorry that this post is going to be insanely long. My husband and I both have family members that are and have been in prison. My husband currently works for TDCJ, and I have several other family members who work for the agency. I am familiar with all the details, because I, previously, worked there. I have been on both sides of the fence--working there, having family (that I love and sincerely care about) incarcerated there. I have tremendous sympathy for anyone who has family members there.

In regards to your post: I do not deny that 1-60s disappear. I don't deny a lot of paperwork disappears, and the offenders are often getting the short end of the stick. But my statement is this: A grievance IS handled by a Grievance Officer. That is the ONLY person allowed to touch those papers. Grievances are put in a special locked box that NO Correctional Officer can open, and are placed in that box BY the Offender, HIMSELF. In the case of areas of a prison where the offenders aren't able to get out of their cell, the Grievance Officer comes around each day to collect the grievances, personally. If you'd like to blame someone for "losing" or making "disappear" the grievance, then it would be the Grievance Officer's responsibility, not any correctional officer.

Yes, I agree that the "good ol' boy" system does exist in the prison system--but it exists in every other aspect of life as well. Why are so many officers "bad employees"? Here's why: Because the people who chose to go to work there are a cross section of all the different types of people that exist in the community. In any work place in America, you will find people who are just plain lazy. Who are power hungry. Who are arrogant. And any other bad characteristic you can imagine. There are also people who are very nice. Helpful. Energetic. Have a great work ethic. Each and every personality you might find on the street exists in a grey uniform behind those walls.

To top it all off, it is a highly stressful job. Yes, there are a lot of offenders who don't cause any trouble and who are in there for relatively minor violations (or even innocent). There are also a lot of offenders that LIVE to make an officer's life more difficult. And, until you have had an offender throw a cup of urine on you, spit on you, try to assault you, or WORSE; you will never, EVER understand. The people who go to work there might not always be the best human beings on the planet, but they do a job that the majority of the population wouldn't or COULDN'T do. And, in Texas, we do it for one of the lowest wages in the United States. For reference, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos156.htm. That is a link to the U.S. Department of Labor. It details the earnings of Correctional Officers across the country. "The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $52,370." As a Correctional Officer with the State of Texas, in your first 12 months you will earn exactly $22,772 gross.

Sorry to have gotten on my soap box, but it really frustrates me that so many people are so negative about officers and how they handle things. Especially when most people really have no clue what it's like to be an officer behind those walls. Most officers don't have any intentions of making life any harder for an offender than it already is. 90% of the officers I know have the basic agenda to see that an offender gets what he is entitled to, nothing more, nothing less. Equal treatment for all. But, dealing with some of the offenders--SOME of them--is highly stressful and frustrating, and can make ANYone have a bad moment or bad day and do something spiteful and mean. No one is immune to that.

Why am I negative about officers? I've seen it -- my husband is an inmate but my step son and daughter in law are COs and I've seen it up close and personal and you have to admit that there are some people that no matter how much they make -- give them a badge of any sort and they are going to use it to mistreat someone. Not all of them are like that. A lot of the ones at my husband's unit are exceptional -- I really like them but there are a couple that are rank that I personally would like to help take a long walk off a short pier! And I do understand -- I have worked for a police agency -- I've done full body cavity searches -- I've had urine thrown on me -- I've been spit on -- I've seen two of my best friends be murdered -- so I do understand but I don't have to like some of the stuff that goes on.

TDCJ in general treats inmates like chattel and they are human beings and need to be treated like such. The prison system is the largest money making industry in the state of Texas and will continue to be so -- they will never pay their employees enough and they probably will never treat the inmates the way they should be treated. There is no way that COs make enough money. All of us can gripe about them but they don't make enough money for what they do. And the admin staff that we all gripe about -- do any of you realize that they make just a little more than minimum wage? That is absolutely criminal for the conditions they work under.

I am married to an inmate but I've been on the other side and I wouldn't do it for the money you are paid. I still believe that some of the staff at TDCJ needs to be weeded out permanently and I won't change my mind. But, some of them are decent, God fearing people who do the best they can with what they are given. As for blaming someone -- how about the shift commander who tells their officers they want to see at least 10 cases a week out of each of them and you and I both know that no one wins a case when a officer writes them up -- it just won't happen!

I'm sorry you are upset but we will just have to agree to disagree. You have your opinion and I have mine and like I said -- I don't have to agree with yours but I will defend to the death your right to have it.

Hold on guys and gals

Your going off topic, the original issue related to the alledged inappropriate behavour of a CO.

I have read all the posts and you are both right, grievances do go missing and the old boys club is still around and functions , however to generlise about all CO's in that fashion is wrong or indeed others who deal with grievenance . You have some hard working and honest people out there who do the right thing and that should be acknowledged.

In repect to the original post, for me , if I were that CO, I would be the one asking for the investigation if for nothing else but to clear my name. Having said that I believe that when an Investigation has been completed by an independent enquiry panel and if it is proved not to be true then the prisoner should be subject to disciplinary action. If on the other hand it is proven that the allegations are true , then in my eyes their is little option but to terminate that employees employment.

I hear what you both are saying but I think that both parties should acknowlege the other point of view and not take it personally , its an opinion and everyone is entitiled to that , right or wrong the challedge is understanding the others point of view.

I was in hobby and I can tell you that our I-60's were put in the mail just like letters were there were no special boxes there for us it may be in some units but not at hobby I am sure of this or at least not in 2002 when I was released from there.

:) For the record, VIM1946 have resolved our issues. We found things we agree upon and we both understand where the other is coming from. Also, our misunderstanding wasn't because we didn't agree with each other, it was because we didn't understand the points the other was trying to make. Neither of us, to my knowledge, has taken anything personally.

In regards to cindergirl: The boxes I was referring to were for Step 1 and Step 2 Grievances, not 1-60s. Every unit has either those boxes or the Grievance Investigator will come around to collect them.

To VIM1946: I think you are a wonderful human being. You are kind, articulate and understanding. I wish the world was filled with more people like you.

Thank you -- I really needed that today -- we have found out that TDCJ is not the only place that can lose things -- the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has managed to completely lose our appeal paperwork so we will have to resubmit!

I was not very understanding about 2 pm today and the person that was telling me that I would just have to resubmit and be patient and wait another 30 days makes well over $40,000 a year. I know Lord -- just be patient!

My wife has transferred to Hobby Unit less than a year ago. I hate this unit, I have had so much diffculty in dealing with the staff there moreso than any other unit she's been at.

The duty wardens on weekends try to avoid family members that want to speak to them directly. I was lied to by a CO while visiting and I wanted to take it up with the duty warden. All I got was attitude and the duty warden did nothing more than cover for the CO. It just kills me that some of these CO's have minimal education yet think they're all that. At 20 years of age I had more education than some of these people.

Dirty, dirty, that's all I have to say about 80% of the CO's in Texas.

Every other unit has permitted a Special Visit for us monthly seeing as I travel over 300 miles. Not at this unit, the warden is a bitch and hides behind policy and is making us wait 1 year from the date she arrived there.

Every time I have an issue at this unit I end up calling anyone at Huntsville that will listen, evetually I've gotten results cutting out the warden, she's nothing more than a "Yes" women for Huntsville anyway.