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Comment by seandhi | Hacker News Reader

Do you have a source for this? I have a good friend serving time in TDC, and his experience has been nothing like this. He's gone to school to get his associates degree for drafting, and he has a job - because he chose to have one - working in the commissary.

RE: Air condition - you're right. http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/faq/faq_cid.html#air

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I worked at TDC for two years as a CO. I have not worked there in almost two decades but I remain close with people who do. I can tell you that the budgets for things like the Windham School System http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org have been cut in recent years. Libraries have been closed. And, that it is a smaller number of inmates that are actually enrolled and taking courses than what's been posted at the Wiki.

Yes, there is no "forced labor" but there definitely is "coerced labor", as there are some benefits that will be withheld from inmates who do not work. OTOH, many inmates are willing to work for the mere reason that it helps stave off the boredom.

There are few units with air conditioning, usually only medical units, and the units get dangerously hot during the summer. Your friend is lucky to have the commissary job, as it is one of few air conditioned places in most prison units.

AMAA, I'll check back here in a few.

In which unit did you work as a CO? Luckily, though my friend is in TDC, he's in one of the state jail facilities near Houston and not a prison. Does that make a difference as to the availability of educational programs?

It's just inhumane that they don't have air conditioning in Texas prisons, especially in the areas where the humidity is so high, like the gulf coast. The heat and humidity were enough to push me away from Houston even though I grew up there.

I worked at Beto I, Estelle, and Ferguson. I also transported inmates to/from medical facilities on occasion.

>he's in one of the state jail facilities near Houston and not a prison. Does that make a difference as to the availability of educational programs?

I don't know a lot of specific details about the state jail system.

>It's just inhumane that they don't have air conditioning in Texas prisons, especially in the areas where the humidity is so high, like the gulf coast. The heat and humidity were enough to push me away from Houston even though I grew up there.

It affects inmates and staff, and every summer there are a number of heat related deaths and injuries from both cohorts.

I didn't find a lot of good humane things about the way we imprison everyone for, everything.

TDCJ inmates are not allowed income so he must not get paid at the commissary, sure he's not in federal prison in TX?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/23/teas-prisons-in...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/20/justice/texas-prison-heat-laws...

http://www.insideprison.com/prison_stories.asp?story_id=751

http://www.utexas.edu/know/2014/06/26/summer-heat-kills-inma...

The commissary is air conditioned, and commissary workers have the best access to limited supplies of "luxury" goods. Inmates at TDCJ aren't paid wages, but IIRC it may affect their "good-time earning class".

source: I once worked there as a CO.

Yeah, I'm positive that he's in TDC.

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