Two months ago the Backgate Website forwarded a request for staffing numbers to the TDCJ open records office. The request asked for simple numbers on current unit staffing numbers, overtime usage numbers, and vacancy information. TDCJ denied that basic request and forwarded it to the Attorney Generals Office for an opinion on the legality of it's release. Over the years we have often requested the same basic information through official means and been granted full access to those numbers. This time the TDCJ claimed that the information, if released, put staff in danger on Texas prison units where under staffing was an issue in that if the offenders or outsiders saw the real stats that it could create safety concerns.
The AG's office bought into the diversion and denied the request as well. So why was TDCJ hiding staffing information all of a sudden? What had changed from all the other times the same information was requested, and granted with no issue? Are staffing issues so bad now that basic information on the numbers are now made secret to the general public and agency employees ? Or maybe it's the millions being spent on overtime, most of which being forced upon employees. Either way the actions of the state have made several attorneys and legal analysts out there sort of curious to say the least.
TDCJ has long since made available only what they feel the public need to know, now whats covered under Texas law. The Backgate has been at the forefront of exposing the corruption of the few that walk among some of the most professional correctional professionals on the planet, and has learned how the open records policy works first hand. As i have always said, it's when a government agency tries to cover up truth, hush whistle blowers, and operate in the shadows when they ignite public interest and appear to be corrupt. Open the doors and show the employees, tax payers, and Legislators whats behind the curtain to alleviate all question. More to come...
WELL THE TRUTH IS THAT THEY ARE HIDING IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS ARE LOW AND ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER !!!!!!! INSIDE THE WALLS AND OUT..... HELP GET THE TRUTH OUT......
ReplyDeleteFrom the Desk of BoBoTheBeaten:
DeleteTruth, truth - you can't handle the truth.
Legislature gave most state employees a 3 percent pay raise over the next two years, but top state agency executives got much larger pay hikes — some that are much more than many of their employees make in annual take-home pay.
DeleteCriminal justice director Brad Livingston soon will be making $260,000, up more than $73,000 from his current salary — a nearly 40 percent increase.
That’s more than the chiefs of some smaller state agencies are paid in a year, and Livingston will be paid as much as Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek. Janek is getting a $35,000 increase, with his pay rising from $225,000 to $260,000.
The raises are included in the new state budget, approved by the Legislature two weeks ago. Unless Gov. Rick Perry vetoes them, they will take effect in September.
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN THATS WHATS WRONG WITH THIS STATE...... WE DONT STANDUP AND TAKE THE GOVERNMENT BACK........ DON`T TREAD ON ME !!!
DeleteWhen TDCJ has to send officers from OTHER units in OTHER regions to staff a unit to cover it's cat 1 positions you know the staffing is dangerously low. Region 3 was doing that for a long time, sending officers from several of it's units to staff Connally or McConnel. In fact, I believe the Backgate reported on it.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is they are hiding it, and there is no viable reason to. The offenders on the units that are under staffed are fully aware of the staffing shortages. The inmates are not stupid. There is no reason the public should not know.
TDCJ has hid this problem from the public far too long. It's time for the public to know the dangers the staff, and they, are in with low staffing levels.
They are still staffing McConnell.
DeleteFrom the desk of BoBoTheBeaten:
ReplyDeleteBrad got a big raise so he won't bother the legislature with these little problems.
WELL I BET IF THE BACKGATE CONTACTED THE NEWS PEOPLE ..... THEY WOULD OPEN THEIR EYES.... LIKE THEY HAVE DOWN IN AUSTIN NOW WITH THE PROTESTING GOING ON THERE.... I BET THEY WOULD EVEN GIVE THEM CORRECTIONAL STAFF MORE MONEY TO BE QUITE ON THE UNITS THAT ARE VERY SHORT... HOW CAN GOV. PERRY KEEP IT QUITE.......
ReplyDeleteTDCJ is just covering up the staffing numbers to please the Governor's Office and a few Republicans who control the Texas Appropriations and Finance Committee. Governor "Oops" is getting ready to run for a higher office and is going to hand pick the Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott as his replacement. Attorney General Abbott will help Governor "Oops" cover up any issues that may expose the Governor's Office and the Texas Republican Party to any negative scandal.
ReplyDeleteYour last chance to file any real action on this cover up ended with Governor Perry's veto for the funding of the Public Integrity Unit in Travis County who was investigating Governor Perry and a few of his criminal buddies who have ripped off taxpayers through unaudited funds from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas.
Prison communities are the ones to blame for corruption. We keep electing the same crooks because no one will run against them. The Republican races in rural Texas go unchallenged. We need to stop drinking the cool-aid in rural Texas and make our political races competitive again. We need to stop voting for the party and start voting for the candidate and make the rural races competitive again. No candidate should be in a "SAFE DISTRICT", Republican or Democrat.
VERY TRUE. STAND UP TEXAS !!!!!! ITS TIME TO TAKE BACK THE GOVERNMENT...
ReplyDeleteI SO AGREE IF WE WANT CHANGE IT STARTS WITH US..... GET NEWS IN IT AND THEY HAVE TO ACT RIGHT.....
DeleteMaybe if the public knew how much TDCJ was spending in overtime, They'd realize the same money could be spent on private prisons.
ReplyDelete