Abstract
State government upholds a viable and reformatory corrective system regulated by a cogent Government Code. Under Chapter 105 of the Code, issues of inmate welfare have been dealt away with…
Keywords: Corrective system, Prison, Inmates, welfare
Correction System in Texas
With more than one hundred fifty thousand inmates in its one hundred and eleven state prisons, Texas has the largest prison population compared to the other states. Previously, the title was held by California. In the wake of a new prison provision, which required the states to drop the number of inmates in state prisons, California’s drop pushed the Texas prison population to the top. Recently, the quantity has dropped in Texas significantly, but the reduction is not as steep as in other states. Though the largest prisoner population, Texas has more than 26 million inhabitants and occupies fourth place in the number of inmates per capita[i].
Texan Prisons:
Texas has an effective restorative correction system, and it administers remarkable facilities and tools to rectify, rehabilitate, and reform the indicted criminals. The cumulative number of prisoners in Texas dipped on account of diversion programs state authorities invested in gradually, which include halfway houses and specialty courts to address the issues of the mentally ill or drunken drivers. Continual decreases in crime rates, an aging population, and demographic alterations also have played a significant role in emptying Texas’ prisons.
Reformatory System:
State government upholds a viable and reformatory corrective system regulated by a cogent Government Code[ii]. Under Chapter 105 of the Code, issues of inmate welfare have been dealt away with. Provisions for “good and wholesome” food, “suitable, substantial and fit” clothing, and literacy programs for functionally illiterate inmates guarantee prisoners’ personal well-being and safety. Inmates receive medical care at the University of Texas Medical branch. Under a memorandum, the Branch undertakes responsibility for the safety, due care, and treatments of indoor and outdoor inmate patients.
Social Provisions for the Inmates:
There is a strict prohibition against any discrimination between inmates of any color, creed, or origin. Prisoners are entitled to receive reference books via mail and are encouraged to partake in as much education or skill as possible. There is also a provision for an escorted “emergency absence.” The inmate Grievance System addresses the mutual conflicts arising amongst the prisoners and ensures the safety recovery in case of theft and damages for a permanent loss of their property.
Crime Rate Scenario:
After a decline in the recent past, the crime rate in Texas is again on the surge. Texas rose upwards on the ranking of crime rates in murder, rape, and robbery. The state was at the twenty-second position in the number of murders committed in 2014, and it soared to 21st in 2016, while rape and robberies also recorded an upward trend; from the nineteenth to eighteenth and from eleventh to ninth position respectively[iii]. Underlying causes range from frustration, growing racial antagonism, socio-economic inequality, and class segregation to unchecked lust for money. Moreover, the rates keep fluctuating, and only a steady trend over several years can be a basis for the researchers to construct a viable hypothesis in any direction. Since 1985, when the FBI started its reports of city-based data, the crime rate per 10,000 inhabitants has been significantly lower than that of the past.
Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, while praising the sentience of the corrective system of Texas, deplored the rise in crime rate and lamented the “largest prisoner population” status in the sense that it is nothing to feel good about.
