Author: Texas Magnum

Prison privatization, inhumane conditions and incarceration of illegals cause of recent riot at Willacy

Posted on March 7, 2015April 11, 2015 by Texas Magnum

In February the inmates at the Willacy County State Jail rioted. Fires were set in 3 of the 10 housing units and damage was done to electrical and plumbing. The offenders at Willacy are for the most part low-level offenders and many are also here in the U.S. without proper documentation. The riot was a reaction to the conditions they are being held in and a lack of proper medical care. There are plenty of folks who read these reports and their response is that the incarcerated don’t “deserve” decent conditions. That by committing a crime, they deserve just what

Prison Bus Crash in Texas results in 10 Dead

Posted on January 15, 2015April 11, 2015 by Texas Magnum

Yesterday, there was a terrible accident out west of Odessa. A prison bus with 12 inmates and 3 correctional officers went off an overpass and fell onto train tracks. It was then hit by a train. Of the 15 people in the bus, 10 are dead and 4 are in critical condition in the hospital. 8 of the 10 dead are inmates, 2 are correctional officers. The details of the wreck are still being investigated and much is not known, but I pray that the time from when the bus went over to when the train collided with it was

Christmas in prison – a time for reflection

Posted on December 23, 2014April 8, 2015 by Texas Magnum

The holidays can be some of the toughest time for prison inmates and their families and loved ones. An inmate can feel incredibly alone and sad being in prison during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and New Years. It’s a time we associate with family and the reality of being locked up can hit hard. It’s a time when mothers and fathers cry for their sons and daughters, and wives and husbands yearn for the touch of their mate. As a former inmate, I can tell you there were bright spots to the holidays. For one, the inmates tend to have

Texas is Closing Prisons – What’s Behind It?

Posted on December 1, 2014April 8, 2015 by Texas Magnum

In news today, the BBC reports “The US is known for its tough criminal justice system, with an incarceration rate far larger than any comparable country. So why is it that Republicans in Texas are actively seeking to close prisons”, asks Danny Kruger, a former speechwriter for David Cameron. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30275026 Read about this hopeful news and learn more why even conservative Republicans in Texas are realizing that today’s existing penal system is badly broken, and that low level offenders – mostly drug offenders – are spending too long in prison and not being rehabilitated. Long prison terms for relatively low

Inmates and Shelter Dogs – Who rescues who??

Posted on September 8, 2014April 8, 2015 by Texas Magnum

Hey folks, take a look at this great article about a great program matching up inmates and shelter dogs. I’ve been scarce lately but about to come back with some big changes on the site. Keep the peace!

GUEST ARTICLE: How Corrections Help Prisoners Reform

Posted on March 18, 2014March 18, 2014 by Texas Magnum

Today we have a guest article submission. Daphne Holmes article is about reform programs within prisons. Based on my own experience I have to be honest and say I doubt the effectiveness of many of today’s typical prison reform programs — for instance one prison I was at, rehab class consisted of us sitting in a room, without instructor or instruction, for a designated amount of time so that the prison got the credit for a rehabilitation program — but I do agree that “reform” ought to be the main objective, for drug cases. Hope you enjoy the read, send

Short Timer Here

Posted on March 2, 2014March 2, 2014 by Texas Magnum

I feel like I am a short timer on my parole these days. I can see that light at the end of the tunnel. Can’t wait. it will be the first time in 7 years that I am not either locked up or on paper. My choices will be mine. Nobody looking over my shoulder. Just got to mind my business for another couple of months. I can do it, that’s not a problem at all. I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but I can’t help but start to feel anxious for this all to be

How to Find Someone in Prison in Texas and Elsewhere

Posted on January 17, 2014January 17, 2014 by Texas Magnum

I have found that over the past couple of years, the page on this blog that gets the most traffic, comments and questions is the Inmate Locator page. It is a nerve wracking time for family and friends when a person is incarcerated, and a lot of the time there isn’t very clear information about how to find out where they are, what prison they are at, and how you can communicate with them. I am going to write today’s post with some explanations of all of this, hopefully it will help y’all find your people who might be incarcerated

Felons – Reality vs. Fiction

Posted on January 14, 2014January 14, 2014 by Texas Magnum

Hey everyone. Sometimes I catch something on television or see something online about prison or prisoners, and I have to laugh at the stereotypes that persist about us felons. Today I saw a thing on the internet news about a recently released prisoner coming to the rescue of a little girl that had fallen into a septic tank and was drowning. Now that is cool whether the guy is an ex-con or not. But what is troubling is that this was reported under “Odd News”. Like, it’s ODD that a man who has a record would help someone. Here is

The Holidays – Then and Now

Posted on December 29, 2013December 29, 2013 by Texas Magnum

While I was in prison, the holidays were sad days. I couldn’t help but feel alone and sad and think of my family and friends more than usual. I think it’s safe to say that was something almost all of us in prison dealt with, although some tried to act like they didn’t care. Maybe they didn’t, who knows. We did try to make the best of it. We were given a better meal than usual, with baked chicken and turkey. Baked chicken is one of the few things that prison cooking can’t screw up, since it’s relatively simple and

Correctional Officers Join Lawsuit Over Texas Prison Deaths Due to Extreme Heat

Posted on December 14, 2013December 14, 2013 by Texas Magnum

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/02/texas-prison-guards-union-to-reportedly-join-inmate-litigation-over-hot-state/ I’ve not been paying attention. Looks like getting the correctional officers behind the push to provide some cooling for Texas prisons might be the final straw to make it happen. Anybody have more updates on this news?

It’s been awhile – Now I am married and a father!

Posted on December 14, 2013May 21, 2015 by Texas Magnum

Hello all, I have been very lax in keeping up with the blog. A whole lot of real life got in the way. Just let me take a minute to brag. I am married to the most awesome woman in the world. We got married on 9/11. A funny date for a marriage but that was the same day I had parole, and I had to consolidate everything so I didn’t miss much work, lol. The way I look at it, that is a good and happy thing that occurred on a day remembered for something unhappy and bad. Maybe

Johnny Cash and His Work for Prison Reform

Posted on January 24, 2013January 24, 2013 by Texas Magnum

Here is a great piece about Johnny Cash and his work for prisoners and prison reform from BBC. Take note of the additional links and info about prison included in the right hand side bar of the article.

We refuse to abandon our loved ones

Posted on December 5, 2012May 11, 2015 by Texas Magnum

Passed on by a friend today: “We are tired of being made to feel inferior or unwelcome in churches, clubs, organizations or society in general simply because we refuse to abandon our loved ones…………” We are everywhere– For those who forget that the incarcerated humans in this country are indeed just that – HUMAN – I would like you to think on this the next time you talk about “inmates, criminals, convicts, etc…”. These humans have families and those who love them despite whatever they did. Look around you and wonder, because this is who we are…. We take care

Changes in my life, changes for this site

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Texas Magnum

While I was locked up I spent a lot of time dreaming about being on a river in Central Texas, listening to music, playing my guitar or harmonica, singing, and just having a good ol’ time. I have done just that as often as possible this summer. I want to share a song I really enjoy, by Jason Boland, called Backslider Blues. Fantastic lyrics on this one. Friends, I have really slacked off when it comes to writing blog posts. I had already known that once I got out, the site was going to need to change it’s direction, because

Texas Prison TDCJ News: Court of Appeals Rules Against Prisons

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Texas Magnum

U.S. FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS RULES AGAINST PRISONS IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES CASE Appellate court finds extreme temperature conditions can violate 8th Amendment The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today reversed a Corpus Christi federal judgeâ€™s ruling dismissing a prisonersâ€™ lawsuit claiming extreme temperatures violated his Eighth Amendment Rights. Lawyers for the Texas Civil Rights Project and DLA Piper represented Eugene Blackmon, a sixty-four-year-old prisoner suffering from hypertension and other medical conditions. Temperatures inside the prison, which was not air conditioned, reached a heat index of 130 degrees. Expert testimony established the temperature during the summer of 2008 temperatures reached

A new job, some alright friends, and a couple tough days

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Texas Magnum

Well – what’s been going on with me for the past 2 and a half months? The usual I guess. It’s hard to describe in a way, what your mind goes through when you get home from prison. But I will try to let you know what this next part of the journey has been like so far. At first, that first day when Texas Department of Corrections let me out their front door and I saw my mom sitting there waiting for me, it was pretty strange driving away. As the prison became just a bad memory in the

I ainâ€™t as good as Iâ€™m gonna get, but Iâ€™m better than I used to be

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Texas Magnum

I am about to write a post to update everyone on what’s been going on the past 2 months that I’ve been home. But first, I am posting this song by Tim McGraw, it has some good lyrics about bettering yourself. I hope all the mothers had a good Mothers Day yesterday. “Better Than I Used To Be” by Tim McGraw I know how to hold a grudge I can send a bridge up in smoke And I can’t count the people I’ve let down, the hearts I’ve broke You ain’t gotta dig too deep If you wanna find some

I have served my time and I am going home!

Posted on February 28, 2012February 28, 2012 by Texas Magnum

This is the post I have been waiting for all along. By the time it is received in the regular mail and posted on here, it will just about be real. I AM GOING HOME! I AM GOING HOME! I – AM – GOING – HOME!!! I am so ready, I can’t wait. Time is crawling now but it’s OK, it’s almost here. Just 10 days to go. I can’t wait to look up at the sunshine, to breath in the fresh air. I can’t wait for a pizza! I am damn excited and happy to go home and see

So this is Christmas…

Posted on December 26, 2011May 11, 2015 by Texas Magnum

This weekÂ I sit here, away from my family at the holidays once again, and I find myself thinking. I am where the universe wants me to be, or else I wouldn’t be here. Since I don’t want to be here, I realize I need to look for the lesson in the situation. Christmas is in just a few more days. It is hard to believe that last year at this time of year I was in prison too. And, the year before that I was in a long term rehab at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years… and the year