Jail and Prisons

County Jail

• People charged with these offenses range from a Class "C" misdemeanor to Capital Murder

• There are three types of individuals incarcerated in the Dallas County Jail.*Individuals who did not post bail and are awaiting court.*Individuals who have been to court and are awaiting transfer to state/federal prison.*Judge has summoned an individual to appear in court from another detention facility

• There are six detention facilities within the Dallas County Sheriffs Department. These facilities can house more than 7500 inmates with a detention staff of 900 employees. The Dallas County Detention Facilities are self sufficient and operate 24-hours a day 365 days a year

• Typical day for an Inmate:• You should expect an alarm to wake up at about

6:00am• then you’ll have roll call. Next, you will eat breakfast.

When you finish breakfast participate in the work program or other activity that you are assigned. This could be working in the kitchen, laundry, or some sort of manufacturing job.

• After lunch, there will be another roll call, then back to work. Your evening will be spent either in your cell or a common room

• When incarcerated, all inmates are expected to wear the Dallas County Jail uniform. This is normally a jumpsuit or scrubs.

• You will get three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. As expected, they are very basic, but healthy. A typical breakfast might be cereal, toast, coffee and fruit. Lunch might be spaghetti, salad, bread and milk. Dinner could be chicken casserole, rice, vegetables, dessert and milk. Contrary to popular belief, prison food has greatly improved over the years, and you might find that it’s not much different from what you would eat at home.

County JailInmate Money:• Inmates in the Dallas County Jail can

maintain an inmate trust fund account and can access the funds through a bar code on their armbands.

• All cash funds in possession of the inmate at the time of the booking process are deposited onto their accounts.

• Money is used to purchase items from the Commissary

• If someone sends a check or money order, make sure that they write your inmate ID on it.

• The maximum amount you are allowed in your account is $290 per month.

• The commissary is the jail store. You can purchase a number of things here, such as toiletries, snacks and writing supplies. Bear in mind that you will probably want to use the commissary daily, and any infractions will get that privilege taken away from you.

Inmate Programs:• The Inmate Programs Division partners with local

community agencies and volunteers , with a shared set of desired outcomes based on a common set of values, from the secular, social service, and religious sectors of the community to provide religious, educational, rehabilitative, and re-entry programs for inmates.

• We are dedicated to making a difference in human lives through motivation for change, adaptation, and adjustment upon re-entry into society based on the rule of law and respect for individual rights.

• There are different programs that inmates can join such as: The Religious Service section, Religious Reading Material, Secular Educational Programs, Law Libraries, Television and Radio Programs, Personal Hygiene Kits, HIV/AIDS Education, Self-Help and Social Integration Services

State Jail Felony

A felony is a criminal act where the penalty is more than one year in prison.

A felony can be a violation of state law or federal law. If they specify "state crime", then it would be a violation state law.

State Jail Felony Punishment !

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days.

(b) In addition to confinement, an individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.

(c) An individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished for a third degree felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that:

(1) a deadly weapon as defined by Section 1.07 was used or exhibited during the commission of the offense or during immediate flight following the commission of the offense, and that the individual used or exhibited the deadly weapon or was a party to the offense and knew that a deadly weapon would be used or exhibited; or

(2) the individual has previously been finally convicted of any felony:

(A) listed in Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure; or

(B) for which the judgment contains an affirmative finding under Section 3g(a)(2), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.

Who assigns you to a jail and how?

• The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas.

• The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for… Adult offenders. Managing offenders in state prisons. State jails and private correctional facilities. Funding and certain oversight of community supervision. Supervision of offenders released from prison on parole or

mandatory supervision.

• The TDCJ operates the largest prison system in the United States.

Myah made this

Who assigns you to a jail and how? Cont.

• The State Classification Committee (SCC) and designated Classification and Records Office (CRO) staff members assign each institutional prisoner to his or her first unit after the prisoner completes his or her tests and interviews

• Offenders are not allowed to choose their units of assignment. The state assigns each state jail offender to the unit closest to his or her county .

• Death row offenders and offenders with life imprisonment without parole enter the TDCJ system through two points. Men enter through the Byrd Unit in Huntsville, and women enter through the

Reception Center in Christina Crain Unit, Gatesville. From there, inmates with life without parole sentences go on to their assigned

facilities. Male death row offenders go on to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit. Female death row offenders go on to the Mountain View Unit.

Myah made this one too

Private Prisons

• A private prison or for-profit prison is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned by a third party that is contracted by a government agency.

Marcus W.

Minimum Security Prison

• Dormitory housing• Low staffing• Limited or no perimeter fencing• People who go there are there for short sentences• Most who are there have committed lesser crimes• Conjugal visits available• More freedom with commissary• More outside time

Josh Houpy

In-House-Job

• When an inmate is given work while serving a prison sentence, such as farming or making license plates

• Meant to:– reduce the cost to taxpayers to

maintain the inmate population – teach inmates the skills they will need

to find work once they leave prison• Eliminates the need for some job

positions outside the prison system

Work Release

• Definition: This is a program under which prisoners may work outside of prison

while serving their sentences.• Purpose:

The focus of this program is to establish or re-establish non-violent offenders into the work force who may have had gainful employment prior to incarceration or may possess marketable job skills.

• Requirements: If the person is classified by the sheriff as a low-risk offender under

the classification system, they are eligible to be part of the program. (TEX CR. CODE ANN. § 42.034 : Texas Statutes - Article 42.034: COUNTY JAIL WORK

RELEASE PROGRAM)

Melanic Osegueda

Work Release (Continued)

• Participation in this program is court ordered.• The inmates will be allowed to work outside the jail and are

strictly supervised by a designated officer. • They are given specific check-out and return times to and from

the jail and are also subject to random field visits and drug tests. • Days off are always spent in jail. • These inmates remain in the work release program until their

mandatory release date. • Low Risk Offender

This refers to a criminal offender who has lesser tendencies to re-offend and is of minimal risk to the community. In most of the cases they may be first time offenders.

Melanic Osegueda

Trustees:☺• What is a trustee?

-1. A convict regarded as worthy of trust and therefore granted special privileges. -2. A trusted person.

• Who can be a trustee?-Inmates volunteer for the position of jail trustee and must meet certain criteria. They must keep

their nose clean and be on good behavior.

• What trustees usually do:-Trustees perform a number of duties, without pay. Usually called “inmate workers”.

-Ex. Mop floors, do the laundry, re-paint the walls when needed, take out the trash, and unload trucks.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=50080

Cathie Soriano

VisitationConjugal Visit:• a scheduled period in which an inmate of a prison is permitted to spend several hours or days in

private with a visitor, usually their legal spouse. The parties may engage in sexual intercourse, and the generally recognized basis for permitting such visits in modern times is to preserve family bonds, and increase the chances of success for a prisoner's eventual return to life outside prison.

• Seen as an incentive.

Non conjugal Visit:• Highly regulated and the complete opposite of conjugal. Can be in an open area or behind bullet proof glass.• No touching is aloud, just in case someone tries to slip something to the prisoner.

Emily Tefft

Prison Gangs

• Referred to as security threat groups (STG) by law enforcement

• Each are made-up of different races (Hispanics, Whites, Blacks)

• Known for their viciousness and violence and use this reputation to maintain power and control over other inmates

• Prisoners join prison gangs in order to have protection from others in the rival gangs

• Use tattoos to distinguish one gang from another

Gaby Baldizon

Prison Health Care

• The Correctional Managed Health Care Committee (CMHCC) is responsible for providing comprehensive health care services to all adult offenders incarcerated in Texas state prisons and state jails.

• The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston are partnered with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and are required by state law to provide medical care to 151,000 convicts at 111 state prisons.

• Medical, dental, and health services are available.• The offender may be assessed a $3.00 co-payment fee.• Classifications of levels of care

I. Medically MandatoryII. Medically Necessary III. Medically AccessibleIV. Limited Medical Value

Luis Herrera

Mental Health in PrisonCriminally Insane

-If the a person is found responsible for the crime but not guilty by reason of insanity, then they will not go to prison but to psychiatric hospital until the individual id not a threat to society

Temporary Insanity

-the person was insane at the time of the crime but is not sane.-the defendant is not committed to a psychiatric facility and is found not guilty of the offense. The individual is given treatment rather than punishment.

2 Types of Mental issues

By: Yennifer Martinez (:

ContrabandDefinitions:• Prison Contraband refers to property that is illegal to possess inside a prison.• Anything not being used for its original purpose.

Types:• Drugs• Pornography• Shanks • Liquor• Electronic Devices

(Liquor)

Emily Tefft

ZACH RAMIREZMaximum Security

Maximum security prisons generally hold prisoners serving long sentences for:• Murder• Robbery• Kidnapping• Treason• Or Other serious crimes

• An inmates day usually consists of being in their cell for 23 hours. The other hour is for the inmate to shower and eat!!!!!

• The number and length of visits are limited and when people visit inmates, they are separated by thick glass or wire!!!!!

• Visitors also go through an x-ray device to make sure they do not have any weapons or drugs!!!!!!! Maximum security prisons are

usually surrounded by big walls or chained fences, the walls have detection devices and spotlights.

Eligibility For Parole-People serving for life usually considered after serving 14 years (violent) or 7 years (drugs)

Exceptions: • 1) life in prison without parole if the crime is bad enough OR warrants the death

penalty OR the crime is your second serious felony• 2) death sentence is changed to life in prison, must serve 25 years before eligible for

parole consideration• 3) convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison and previously imprisoned

under a life sentence must serve 25 years before eligible for parole consideration

Unless otherwise specified, non-life people are eligible for parole after serving 1/3 of their sentence• 1) Not eligible for parole if they aren’t serving for a serious crime. Not eligible after

serving 10 years on a sentence greater than 10 years. Offender convicted for any of these offenses (not sentenced to life) will serve their whole sentence without parole

• 2) If they committed 3 felonies before they will never be considered for parole in the future for their whole sentence. Only exception is for a capital felony sentence.

• The board or parole choses which offenders are eligible for parole and what condition they’ll have to go by. They use the parole guidelines to predict each offenders probability for a successful safe parole.

• They also determine whether to revoke an offenders parole if they don’t follow the conditions. Depending on the seriousness of the violation they can decide whether to add extra conditions or take the offender to an intermediate sanction facility, or use alternatives to revoking parole, even sending them back to prison

• To figure out whether an offender is eligible for parole the board will consider:

1. Criminal history2. Nature of crime3. Drug or alcohol involvement 4. Time served 5. Felony offense

Board of Parole

Parole OfficerRequirements and Qualifications:• Must have a bachelor’s

degree (common ones include: criminal justice, corrections, social work, psychology, counseling, and other related fields)

• At least one year of graduate degree work

• Valid driver’s license• Complete training and

certifications required by the state, county, and federal regulations

• License to carry a firearm

• Pass a background screening and drug test

• Pass a psych evaluation• Some states require at

least two years of work experience in corrections or counseling

Description:• Parole officers work with

individuals who have been released from prison before their sentence is up

• Help parolees adjust back into society and avoid any actions that would threaten their parole status

• Develop a plan with their parolee before they’re released (plans consist of employment, housing, health care, education, drug screening and other activities that help parolees' rehabilitation)

• Heavy workload (70-130 active cases on average)

• Dangerous (which is why they carry firearms)

Salary and Job Outlook:• Salaries depend on

experience and education• Average salary in the US

for 2012-2013 was $47,200

• Job outlook is solid with growth resting at 18% through 2020

Gaby Baldizon

Parole Rules cont.• Parolees, their residence, and their belongings can be searched at any

time with or without a warrant and with or without a reason– Done by parole agent or police officer

• Parolee waives extradition if they are found out of state• Obligated to

– tell parole agent where they live and work– Report upon release from prison or jail– tell parole agent about new address before they move– Tell parole agent if they get a new job within 3 days– Report to their parole agent when told to report or a warrant can

be issued for their arrest– Follow their parole agent’s instructions– Ask permission from parole agent to travel more than 50 miles

from their residence before they travel– Receive a travel pass before they leave the county for more than

2 days or if they're leaving the state– Obey ALL laws– Tell parole agent immediately if they get arrested or a ticket– Not be around guns, or things that look like real guns, bullets , or

any other weapons or own one– Cant have a knife with a blade longer than two inches except a

kitchen knife (must be kept in their kitchen)– Sign their conditions of parole

• failure in doing these can result in parolees return to prison

Conditions of Parole – Written rules that you have to followSpecial Conditions - Added written rules that help your chances of finishing parole.

Parole ViolationBy: Emily TefftConditions:• Must remain in state of incarceration or state crime was committed in.• Check in with parole officer on a routine basis. (decided by P.O. must be reasonable)• Must maintain or attempt to maintain steady employment or continue on education track• Notify of change of address• Submit to drug testing• Submit to warrantless search and seizure and searches conducted without probable cause

When parole is violated:• Parolee may be charged in a separate criminal proceeding for any criminal offense even where

the parolee is charged with violation of parole for the same conduct• Until the 1970's, a parole officer who was in charge of the parolee was able to use his discretion

to decide what happened after a parole violation.• Under the current law, in order to provide the parolee with due process the consequences of a

parole violation are determined at a parole violation hearing

Types:• Technical violation: when someone has broken a condition of their parole• Parolee is accused of committing another crime, may be reason for revocation

SHEZU

Release From Parole• You can serve parole the whole time or you

can be released early.• Inmate is eligible for release on parole when

the inmate's actual calendar time served plus good conduct time

• Equals one-fourth of the sentence imposed or 15 years

Release from Parole (CONT.)To get released early:

Criminal has served 1/2 the time of their sentence.

During the preceding two-year period, the releasee has not committed any violation of the rules or conditions of release

during the period of supervision the releasee's parole or release to mandatory supervision has not been revoked

that the releasee has made a good faith effort to comply with any restitution order imposed on the releasee by a court

that allowing the releasee to serve the remainder of the releasee's sentence without supervision and reporting is in the best interest of society

SHEHZAM!!!

Rights of ex-convictsby: Nikki Lechler

• A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison“, Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates.

• Ex-convict is a common way of referring to a person who has been released from prison.• The legal label of "ex-convict" has much wider lifelong implications, so the person may suffer

long-term handicaps and social stigma, including restricting access to certain categories of employment. In the Australian context, the Federal government generally will not employ an ex-convict, but some other state organizations may or may not have a time limit restricting employment.

Texas• Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on

probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.

• Voting age citizens convicted of a felony are barred from voting for at least some period of time. Laws vary in each state, and while some restore voting rights automatically, other states permanently disenfranchise some ex-felons or require that they petition the governor or a government board to have their right restored.

Jail Healthcare

• Jails are required to give “adequate” healthcare to inmates. (There is no ball)

• Amounts of healthcare may differ by state.• Neglect to treat can result in the violation of the 8th

amendment.• In public interest. Don’t want inmates spreading the

diseases to the public when they get released.• In Estelle v. Gamble the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the

government has an obligation to provide medical care to those whom it incarcerates, and that failure to provide such care may violate inmates’ constitutional rights.

“Hard labour”• Also considered as Penal Labour• The work may be light or hard,

depending on the context by the judge.

• Large-scale implementations of penal labour include labour camps, prison farms, and penal colonies.

Solitary Confinement • Also considered as “the hole”• Inmates are sent to these units not for crimes

they have been convicted of, but for acting up in prison.

• Prisoners go through degrading treatment or punishment, concluded that even 15 days in solitary confinement constitutes torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and 15 days is the limit after which irreversible harmful psychological effects can occur

• It is a “special” form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, except prison staff.

• It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner for violating prison regulations.

Police Stations

• A police station is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. Temporary holding cells, have access to bathrooms, provided with food and water.

•

Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)

The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain oversight of community supervision, and supervision of offenders released from prison on parole or mandatory supervision. The TDCJ operates the largest prison system in the United States.

TDCJ also deals with Capital Punishment

Parole Rules cont.• Parolees, their residence, and their belongings can be searched at any

time with or without a warrant and with or without a reason– Done by parole agent or police officer

• Parolee waives extradition if they are found out of state• Obligated to

– tell parole agent where they live and work– Report upon release from prison or jail– tell parole agent about new address before they move– Tell parole agent if they get a new job within 3 days– Report to their parole agent when told to report or a warrant can

be issued for their arrest– Follow their parole agent’s instructions– Ask permission from parole agent to travel more than 50 miles

from their residence before they travel– Receive a travel pass before they leave the county for more than

2 days or if they're leaving the state– Obey ALL laws– Tell parole agent immediately if they get arrested or a ticket– Not be around guns, or things that look like real guns, bullets , or

any other weapons or own one– Cant have a knife with a blade longer than two inches except a

kitchen knife (must be kept in their kitchen)– Sign their conditions of parole

• failure in doing these can result in parolees return to prison

Conditions of Parole – Written rules that you have to followSpecial Conditions - Added written rules that help your chances of finishing parole.