Lawmakers Urge a Change in How Inmates are Counted
Though she represented her Dallas district in the Texas House for more than a decade, former state Rep. Terri Hodge could have been counted as a resident of Kentucky during this year’s decennial census. That’s because Kentucky, where Hodge is serving a year in prison after pleading guilty to lying on her tax return, currently counts inmates at the address of their prison rather than at the place they lived before they were incarcerated. (Hodge got sentenced in April; it's unclear if she filled out a census form before shipping off to her new home away from ...
Comments (11)
Kelly Robinson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well, the census form wants to know where you live right now- not 6 months ago and not where you are thinking about living 6 months from now.
Who says an inmate isalways going to go back to the same place when they get out??
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Also if you're in Prison your stay is likely to be more than 13 months ,so someone else is going to need a Census job at that point.
Marilyn L. Moll via Texas Tribune on Facebook
However, prisoners are not in the community by choice - nor do they participate in the life of the community. They do not contribute to the economy by spending their earnings there, etc. They are not full members of that community.
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Not in What Community by choice Marilyn?
Michael Cosper via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It does scew the census figures for rural communities where prisons are located. do they have a special incarcerated category so that it does not count toward representation in the House of representatives?
Robin Gilmore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yes they do.
Marilyn L. Moll via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Richard, the Community refers to the legislative district where the prison is located. That district gains representation and power in the state legislature under the present system. Why not count them as residents of the city where they last lived - or the city they name as home - just like the military?
Jenny Marquez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
very interesting
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Because they dont work or pay taxes in that community and it would give an inaccurate budget and many times the prison is not in that area.
Bob Brown via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That one person one vote argument doesn't really hold water because any one convicted of a felony has lost the right to vote. My guess is that a large percentage of people in State and Federal prisons are felons.
Gloria Ramos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Little by little things are revealed to us that we were not aware of....why
make so many felons...yes, I said make! If you can't get the votes one way......open your eyes folks....