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THREAD: Wondering how things are going in Texas prisons right now?
33 units are on generator power, guards say they’re being kept “hostage” and prisoners are eating THIS.
This is current, sent to me today:
33 units are on generator power, guards say they’re being kept “hostage” and prisoners are eating THIS.
This is current, sent to me today:
Even before a lot of the rest of Texas started feeling the effects of the ice and snow here, prisoners said they’d been having power go off and on starting over the weekend.
As of mid-day today, there were 33 units where the power had gone off and they were instead relying on generator power, according to the spokesman.
He also said they’d been issuing extra jackets and blankets across the system.
He also said they’d been issuing extra jackets and blankets across the system.
Some prisoners said they’ve been okay so far, but some said they have not. But one guy told me yesterday that the heaters aren’t working and they’ve resorted to using table salt on the walkways. https://twitter.com/keribla/status/1361516606413766658?s=20
Texas prisons are better known for problems with failing to keep the units cool enough in the summers, but as people following along might remember, winters have been a problem too: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Texas-prisons-push-back-against-claims-of-12472235.php
This time, the spokesman also said there’s about 20 units with no or low water pressure and they’re anticipating boil water notices tomorrow.
They’ve brought in water tankers to prepare and so far have no casualties and just one injury: A CO who got a concussion when he fell on ice in the prison parking lot at Polunsky Unit, which houses death row.
One staffer told me that the power and heat had gone out completely for a couple hours today at a West Texas prison – but the bigger complaint from staff has been the forced overtime, including 16+ hour shifts.
Union officials tell me they’ve been fielding complaints from Marlin and Hobby units (women’s prisons) that the warden forced CO’s to stay there round-the-clock, working 16 hours and off for 8 unpaid hours.
“They’re being held hostage basically and told they’d be fired if they go home,” said AFSCME union executive director Jeff Ormsby.
Across the state, he said, there’s been a lot of forced overtime – but at most units people have been allowed to leave.
Across the state, he said, there’s been a lot of forced overtime – but at most units people have been allowed to leave.
“Walmart doesn’t make their employees stay for eight hours and not pay them,” he added. “This is the reason you’re 5,500 officers short – it’s not the pay, it’s not the benefits, it’s the way you treat your staff.”
Here's a recent staffing report: https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20485092-1020-co-report
Here's a recent staffing report: https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/20485092-1020-co-report
I haven’t heard back from the spokesman with any response to this particular issue w/being forced to stay on the unit – but like so many other Texans right now, he’s been struggling with cell and power outages, too.
But issues with the way staff are treated is a recurring theme I have heard from TDCJ employees for years, and might explain why they’ve had such significant staffing shortages – especially during COVID.
The staffing problem has grown worse bc of COVID, but it's also made COVID worse. You may remember, TDCJ forces COs to fill in at understaffed units - a practice needed to maintain basic staffing levels & minimize lockdowns, but that also contributes to spread of disease.
TDCJ has repeatedly denied that forcing guards to work days or weeks of overtime at other units hours away could contribute to the spread of COVID, even tho @tanyaeiserer & I have interviewed several COs who caught it that way. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/no-way-out/covid-19-spread-through-texas-prisons-joint-investiagtion-the-marshall-project-wfaa/287-90632cfc-1a71-4d18-b195-63c1efb806c7
But now, like during Hurricane Harvey, that existing lack of staff is especially problematic bc if the prison is already <50% staffed you have a REAL PROBLEM if MORE people call in.
Here's some reporting from 2017 abt how that played out during Harvey: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Texas-prisons-take-hit-from-Harvey-complaints-of-12172438.php
Here's some reporting from 2017 abt how that played out during Harvey: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Texas-prisons-take-hit-from-Harvey-complaints-of-12172438.php
Today, one prisoner told me: “Only three officers made it to work.”
So why does he care? What does this lack of staff mean for prisoners? Usually means lockdowns – and potentially worse food. Texas prison lockdown food is notoriously bad: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/11/ewwwww-what-is-that
So why does he care? What does this lack of staff mean for prisoners? Usually means lockdowns – and potentially worse food. Texas prison lockdown food is notoriously bad: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/11/ewwwww-what-is-that
(Side note: I assume this means three replacements on that particular building - not that only three people were running the entire prison.)
For some people in custody, there’s been a silver lining to the power outages: At the Harris County Jail the inmates got earlier vaccine access bc refrigeration failed and the doses would have gone bad otherwise. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Harris-County-hustles-to-distribute-8-400-15952293.php
The Texas prison spokesman confirmed that has not happened at all in Texas prisons, unfortunately. They have yet to vaccinate prisoners.
I’m still collecting more information about what’s happening behind bars in Texas during this historic storm & pandemic – and sorry for any delays, I am dealing with my own lack of power/heat.
I’ll tweet updates as I get them, though.
Stay safe, mask up.
I’ll tweet updates as I get them, though.
Stay safe, mask up.
SOME UPDATES. First, I'm hearing from staff at another unit that they haven't been able to give out meds for 24 hours because the computer system is down, making it harder to access cells. Also, they said that the boiler seems to be out bc there was no heat for part of today.
Staff also said no one got extra blankets to deal with the cold - but that's just one unit, so unclear how widespread that issue is. (The spokesman had said they're all getting more blankets, so maybe elsewhere they are.)
Also: My fellow reporter @tanyaeiserer is hearing concerns about forced overtime at other units. Not surprisingly, this seems to be a widespread problem. https://twitter.com/tanyaeiserer/status/1361876552120635397?s=20
And, the spokesman confirms that yes this is something they need to do - though he said that, contrary to what staff were told at some units, they will get paid for any hours they are required to be at the prison even when they are required to be there round-the-clock.
