Texas Prisons Run Low on Deodorant, Toothpaste
Former inmate Jorge Renaud remembers how the purchases he made from the prison commissary, little things like toothpaste and deodorant, made life in a cell, often with another prisoner, a little less uncomfortable.
For thousands of inmates in the Texas prison system today, though, those hygiene items are simply not available, due to a lapse in state contracts with outside providers. They are not considered necessities by the administration, but from time to time shortages lead to complaints by prisoners and their family members.
For the roughly 151,000 inmates in the Texas prison system, there are 1,800 units ...
Comments (25)
Death Breath
For those of you who have never worked in a prison environment, here is some information. The common Texas troglodyte, more specifically, Texas politicians, don't understand the details of running a prison. Some, have been whisked through a rapid-paced tour of a facility. However, as evidenced by the current state of affairs in TDCJ, it does not seem to matter.
When you limit the number of "necessary items" to survive in a prison, it creates a black market. This is how people get killed & how prison violence can erupt. Unless things have changed over the recent years, offenders are given tooth powder, free. No, this is not toothpaste. Toothpaste tubes have been used to blow up walls when correctly loaded with various substances. You also won't find dental floss in the usual dispenser. With a little Bippy & floss, you'd be surprised to learn how many prison bars succumb to a measured hand.
Want something done? I suggest throwing Tom Delay in stir, where he belongs. When he starts whining to his former constituents in the Sugar Land area, things might change. Hopefully, "Wild Thang" won't be shaking his derriere like he did on Dancing With the Stars. He might find a daddy.
Dwayne Horner via Texas Tribune on Facebook
gee don't commit a crime and you won't have to deal with this problem.
Beth Grainge via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There are millions of people who are free, law-abiding citizens who can't afford food, much less "hygiene" products, and you expect us to be worried about inmates?
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You mean to tell me that if you don't commit a crime you won't go to prison? How brilliant. I will certainly write the head of TDCJ-ID & share this wisdom. This is earth-shattering news. Did you sit up all night thinking of this observation you made? Of course, if you have GOPig influence, you may never step in prison. I recall a former Director of TDCJ that scammed the state with Vita Pro. He has never done one day inside prison. Then, we have Wild Thang Delay. He has not done his time for his dirty deeds.
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Baking soda is an excellent substitute for toothpaste and it's inexpensive. A daily shower and clean shirt will eliminate underarm odor.
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
WWJD?
Rita Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What about the guards and other personnel that work in that environment? They're just trying to make a living. Even with hygienic products, it still stinks. Prison is NOT about rehabilitation, but about greed for those, like the aforementioned Vita-Pro scam POS.
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
When offenders escape due to staffing shortages or poorly-trained private prison guards and end up killing people, I start to think how this came to pass. Sometimes, I have a good chuckle. GOPigs & TeaTards have a solution, reduce spending. Again, this myopic narrow-minded bit of thinking results in very dangerous working conditions. In order to maintain order, you need to increase staff and staff training. The biggest waste of tax-payer money is any faith-based program. Now, we have a prison Seminary? Come one folks, you need to increase your understanding of the criminal thinking process. So, if I have Jesus in my heart I won't ever break the law? How naive' and stupid. Please, feel free to read. I've selected an article from People so the layperson can better understand the criminal mind. There are professional journals covering this subject matter, but why waste the time: http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20087803,00.html
Arthur M. Thomas IV via Texas Tribune on Facebook
yay.. ad homenim! Calling people names shows more about who you are than who your subject is.
Paul Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Typical liberal: they don't know how to make an argument, just how to call people names and point to the scared cow promoted monolithically by the mass media.
Tom Sweazea via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The justice of a society is reflected in the way its prisoners are treated. The US now imprisons more people than any other nation. To those who say inmates deserve deplorable conditions are simply ignorant of history. Putting people in prisons is tandimont to creating ticking time bombs. It's time to use the money we are spending on private prisons to ensure a real society. End the 'War in Drugs' as a start....
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Dear PM: the world is not dichotomous as your seem to think, black & white. I've worked with quite a few intellectually-challenged individuals over the years. You seem to have a lot in common with them. When have you ever set foot in a prison? Do you "guess" at these things. Your comments are similar to the deposits made by a dysenteric cur.
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Tom Sweazea, well-stated!
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Arthur the IV: Please, review you grammar before posting. Here is something to ponder, "shallow brooks are noisy."
Lance Lowry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Toothpaste isn't the only thing TDCJ is short on.... They are also short on staff!!!!! Over 2,800 officers that is know.
Beth Grainge via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't think they deserve deplorable conditions, but I am not concerned if my brother's murderer has deodorant or not. I honestly have no ill will to him, didn't wish him to die and we even agreed to let him plead guilty instead of going to trial. And like another poster said, baking soda is a wonderful substitute for cleaning one's teeth.
David Whitten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I don't have a problem with pay-per-view executions with the profits going to the victims of crime.
Pam Grimes via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So true....we need help
Paul Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yeah David you're just name calling and using big words does make a good argument, it's the opposite in fact.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
David Whitten, since you like to point fingers, I suggest you look in the mirror and at the DemocRATS. They are the ones who fundamentally altered the prison system in the 1960's and 1970's. Prison is about punishment. But your DemocRATS were sadden that poor prisoners had to work and not get to watch TV and be lazy. Texas Prisons use to be almost self sufficient. Growing their own food, making goods that were used by other state institution and to the public.
You want to talk about the Faith-based programs? Thne fine but referring to people magazine is worthless. In Florida, they found that those programs do reduce recidivism. They found that the programs make prisons safer, fewer disciplinary problems fewer contra-band issues. They found that these programs generate more people volunteering time to help the programs. Information is obtained from The Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.
Petra de Jong
My friend on Death Row at the Polunsky Unit has been unable to get toothpaste for two weeks or so. I cannot purchase it online either. I am not sure what these "hygiene packs" are they are referring to, but they don't offer those either in the online commissary. They are not getting enough toilet paper either, but that has been an ongoing thing for years.
Prison does not need to be a hotel, but to say that something like toothpaste is not necessary... It's weird to me. I would hate to be without toothpaste for a prolonged period of time.
Baking soda is a nice suggestion, but you cannot buy that at a prison commissary. The range of products offered is extremely limited. I ordered the next best thing to toothpaste... mint sticks... Not much of an alternative at all, really.
Deborah Cardenas
I interviewed with the person writing this article. I told him exactly what was up with these issues and I am not happy with how this article was written. Talk about politically correct and boring. Also he asked if he could quote me - the only thing he quoted was my husbands sentence which was not necessary in my opinion. Capital murder - yes 15 years ago at Christmas my now husband who was 22 at the time came out of the bathroom high on heroine with a houseful of people at a big party to a huge commotion in the other room where he found his baby daughter on the floor accidentally was dropped. Should someone pay for that accident? Of course. I am not excusing accidents that happen under the influence - but to put someone in the category of deviant murderer and lock them up and throw away the key is altogether different and wrong. Yes drugs definitely played a role in that and he will forever be haunted by the tragic ACCIDENT. He is drug free and a wonderful man. He took the wrap so his wife would not have to go to prison. He was coming off drugs and very sick and he was getting threatened with the death penalty if he went to trial and they pressured him to turn her in. He didn't. No trial, no jury - just signed for 40 years. That is why I don't appreciate his sentence being shared in this article. There was no need for it because that is not what this article was suppose to be about. It was suppose to be about lack of hygiene that I do believe are necessities and how horrible Texas is in allowing families to order online. Research shows bacteria that gets into the bloodstream from poor dental hygiene wreaks havoc on the body and heart. We are taught from early age to brush so that we won't lose our teeth and have medical issues. Taxpayers pay down the road with dental and medical care from lack of hygiene. Lesson learned. Will never interview with this person again.
pamela huffman
Really? Not a necessity? I think is mandatory, how nasty and what a cruel way to treat someone.
Toni Mikel via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Prisons have become corporations now; highly lucrative for CEO/owners and of course that is why we have record numbers in jails and of course minorities will be highest arrested due to prejudice, poverty factors. And I'm sure as with any corporations, they will cut corners like any Republican Politician to provide bigger profits for their own bonuses. If CEOs could make diamonds from the jail mates poo then they probably feed them more and readily provide toilet paper and personal hygiene supplies when the air quality exceeded agronomic standards!
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stated like a Liberal Toni. Pat the criminal on the head and say "ah it is not your fault" and the let them go. But when it comes time to house them in your neighborhood you throw a fit!