Posted by law59 on October 15, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Are we supposed to give a sh** about these low life thugs?

Posted by huckster on October 15, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

if you don't break the law, it won't be a problem for you.

Posted by JustDave on October 15, 2008 at 4:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm with law and huckster here; if you avoid breaking the law, you don't have to worry about jail conditions, now, do ya?

...and if you do, it's supposed to be a deterrent! I'm all for jail being an unpleasant place to be, myself.

Now, not giving required medications--that's an issue. But that doesn't make it a "Hellhole." The *inmates* are probably what makes it that.

Posted by katp1962 on October 15, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I came across this while doing research on the jail situation. If this is true about Texas jails....then I agree that something needs to be done. This is an outrage. Read the article here:
http://texasjailproject.org/news/chap...

I linked to it through the Texas Jail Project's web site.

Posted by ropers40 on October 15, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How many of these people are not convicted and are awaiting trial, are they still considered innocent until proven guilty.
While we all make mistakes we are human beings and need to be treated as so. Jail should in no way be a cake walk, but it should not be a place where a persons civil rights are thrown out the door, especially those that are not convicted and are awaiting trial.

Posted by katp1962 on October 15, 2008 at 6:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Right ropers40. I was all ready to say something like "well, they are criminals. Jail shouldn't be the Hilton"...then, I actually went to the web site and read come of the accusations against Texas jails. It's disgusting, the way some "corrections officers" treat inmates. I was shocked.

Posted by bphb6 on October 15, 2008 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You also have to realize that most of these guys have nothing but time on their hands to come up with complaints.

Posted by conserveABI on October 15, 2008 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

KTXS reported tonight that "these charges were investigated and found to be without foundation." Do we have more follow up?

Posted by texasblackhawk84 on October 15, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have worked in two different prisons as a Correctional Officer. One prison was in Idaho and the other one was the Robertson Unit here in Abilene, you would be amazed at what the inmates will complain about and the sheer number of grieviences they file. One was about the toilet being stopped up and running into the inmates cell, never mind that the idiot shoved TWO rolls of tp AND a towel into the toilet. Then there was the inmate that swore on his dead mothers grave that we weren't giving him his meds, well guess what, he was selling them to other inmates. Those are just two instances of inmate complaints. Complaints that have to be investigated and cleared, all at taxpayers expense! Multiply that by 1500 inmates by 24 hours by 7 days a week and then MAYBE you'll get close to understanding how these people operate. Remember, inmates are smart and have all the time they need to cause problems, make their family members feel sorry for them, make the public feel that they are being treated unfairly and waste tons of taxpayer money. Jail is not supposed to be comfy and cozy, IT'S JAIL!

Posted by reaganite on October 15, 2008 at 7:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Someone on the left will always complain about anything.

I read the link from texasjailproject.org. Why does it so much like a PETA site?

It always amazes me that the left will take the word of a criminal over the word of a law enforcement officer.

It's the same kind of "logic" that claims the USA is no better than the terrorists at Gitmo.

Pathetic.

Posted by JayWalton on October 15, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

From my experience at the Taylor County Jail, your visit is what you make it. If you come in with a huge list of demands and start telling Jailers that "you had better get me this or that". You will not have a smooth visit. If you come into the jail and keep your mouth shut and speak calmly and politely, you will not enjoy your stay but it will be better than the other way. It’s all about giving up control. Until you come to the realization that being incarcerated means you are not the boss and you are not running the show, you will always bump heads with the staff, medical staff included.

I believe Jail should not be fun. The actual deprivation of your physical freedom is the punishment the law requires, there should not be additional punishment given out by Jail staff.

That being said, the low starting pay and lack of qualified applicants who will work for $1.50 an hour more than McDonalds pays has caused some people to be employed by Taylor County Jail that have no business in the corrections field.

Ok, I am off my soap box. I am going to find a bottle of MD 20/20 and go visit my friendly booking officers at the jail.

Jay out...................

Posted by abilenian123 on October 15, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you don't like the conditions at the jail, don't be a criminal. Simple.

Posted by pinklady on October 15, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, texasblackhawk84, so you work or worked at a prison. I have to agree with you that inmates have much time on their hands and do come up with frivulous grievances. However, the jailers do not not have the right to mistreat them. I am not talking about running when their heads hurts to bring them some medicine. I am talking about straight up being overly agressive and violent when it is not neccessary. If you worked at a prison, then you know there are a handful of guards that are guilty of that. Those allegations have to be investigated. Yes, it is true that if you do not break the law, it is not your problem. No, we are not criminals here but you could throw trash on the ground and be thrown in jail. I dont believe that just because you work for the county, you have the right to treat people like crap. I have dealt with many of them, not all but some of them and you know who you are, are just as bad as they people they get paid to keep under their custody.

Posted by qquixi on October 15, 2008 at 10:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My daughter, 25 was arrested one Fri. night in March, she was with a group of friends and a few people she didn't know. They were in the front yard more people were inside. They got kind of loud and the police were called it was around 10:30, there were a couple underage drinkers and drugs were found in the house they arrested everyone. When she called us from jail I told her we would try to get bail for her, we are both disabled and like everybody else money is tight for us. We couldn't come up with bail until Mon. it was $250.00. We went to the jail Mon. morning to meet the bail bondsman. We then found out they weren't going to charge her for anything she submitted to a breathalyzer she hadn't been drinking and never went into the house. So we waited for her release. When we got in the car she started crying, she said that it was her time of the month and they wouldn't give her any feminine products, she ask everyone that came by, finally she used tp but the other girls gave her a hard time about it because they only get so much a day. The underwear that the gave her to wear were stained, torn and just disgusting. She was humiliated and embarrassed that weekend and she had done nothing wrong. I was as mad as an old wet hen, I called them to find out how to file a grievience. We filed in March... In July I called to find out what was happening, and was told that there had been a finding of no wrong doing in favor of the jail in April we were never contacted, I wanted her to pursue it, but she felt it was a lost cause. I still think it's BS

Posted by Festus on October 15, 2008 at 11:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

JayWalton is absolutely correct. Your behavior determines how you are treated. I have been on both sides of the bars at the Taylor County Jail, as an inmate and as a contractor. I have seen first hand the efforts made by jail staff to treat inmates in a respectable manner for years. During the current expansion, a jailer came over to ask that a radio on the construction side be turned down because it was irritating the inmates because they couldn't hear their TV program. Rightfully, the jailer and inmates were told where they could stick their request. The point is, the jailer made the attempt in order to try to keep the peace. I have seen the paper sacks in rows and columns from the commisary and pharmacy both. While I agree that there are some bad apples in every bunch, these accusations are nothing but libel and slander on members of the sheriffs office that are only doing the job we ask them to do.

Posted by Festus on October 15, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

qquixi, I don't know you or your daughter and am in no way calling you a liar. From your description of events I would bet (even in this economy) that your daughter was arrested for public intoxication. Since it was a Friday night she had to wait until Monday morning for arraignment, pleading to the charge, and then sentenenced to time served and released. I know this process from experience.The fact that it was that time of the month is irrelevant. They did provide her with TP which is all that was needed.

Posted by texasblackhawk84 on October 15, 2008 at 11:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Pinklady: In all the years I worked for the Dept of Corrections, I NEVER witnessed an officer mistreat an inmate, although there were plenty of times that the inmate DESERVED an @ss kickin'. No I don't agree with inmates being treated badly and I believe that any officer who mistreats an inmate should be held accountable. Never think that every officer does his job 100% correct every single time they put that uniform on and go to work, but by the same token, the jails and prisons are not occupied by alter boys and precious little girls from the choir. I have on more than one occasion had to get in the middle of inmates who thought that they would attack an officer and/or each other. I have had to go into a cell and deal with an inmate that had used their single blade razor to slice his wrists to the bone, and was plenty prepared to use it on me. I have had to deal with inmates that lost a family member and tried to kill themselves and tore their cell to pieces, and all the while I had to keep my self under control and maintain the security of myself, the inmate, other officers and other inmates, most of whom were just egging this person on to finish the job and kill himself and rooting for him to attack me in the process. Never mind the idiots that will throw cups of feces, urine, and in the case of the women inmates, monthly blood that they have been saving for days or even months! As I said, do I think that all officers do it right ALL of the time? NO! But until you put on that uniform and walk thru those gates and deal with what every CO deals with inside those walls, well you really don't have a leg to stand on. If you don't want to be in a position to be treated like a criminal, DON'T BE A CRIMINAL, DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH CRIMINALS, DON'T DATE CRIMINALS AND DON'T GO TO THE HOUSES THAT CRIMINALS LIVE IN OR HANG OUT AT! Pretty simple if you ask me.

Posted by SYLVIASWEETY on October 15, 2008 at 11:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Jail is not a place to vacation and Taxpayers shouldn't foot the bill to make it such. The inmates can buy stuff though their commisary. As long as they have a place to sleep, eat and uh you know, then that is all they need.

If you don't break the law. then you won't be locked up. SIMPLE AS THAT.

Posted by MJ on October 20, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

WOW is all I can say ...If these jailors are treating our own human kind like this o god for bid any one goto jail for any thing!!! These guys/gals are supposed to be upholding the laws not BREAKING MORE as they go! What is wrong w/ the majority of you ppl in here!!! NO HEARTED BLACK SOULS, is all I can stop to think to myself! MY DAD DIED IN THAT HELL WHOLE!!! Yes he was a criminal! BUT he was and is my dad that they took away and will NEVER be seen again...as to the coments on no bad treatment BS! You ever heard of a trash can or a shreader. Besides complaints obviously get you no where w/ jails of course they are going to take the guards sides these guys ARE underpaid....besides the fact that if their family or friend was in there NO DOUBT there would be some sort of special treament for them .... NOT TO SAY THERE SHOULD BE but these guards come in w/ a tampon up their butts and decide they want to beat the crap outta your daughter or your mom or let the disabled person sit on the floor for 3 or 4 days in their own waiste or give the pi person a dirty pair of underwear to give these young/ disabled vets staff only to KILL them off just so it's another body/problem in their eyes outta the way!!! I think these jailors need as much counceling as all the inmates do!!! END OF STORY!!! First comment must be a cop god forgive your souls!!!

Posted by MJ on October 20, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THEY ARE ONLY HUMANS NONE OF YOU ARE PERFECT!!