www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/TDCJ-OIG-2019.pdf NEW ... Hinojosa Letter 1 to the RPD Director Rene Hinojosa & 50 Texas leaders seriously asking that "evidence-based" and "skilled professionals" mean in TDCJ and RPD, given the horrendous practices documented and it and the TBCJ's passivity. Updated with just released Addendum 16, the 2018 Dep. Dir. of Religious Services Interview Docs, the interview that did NOT take place ... the real value of Chaplaincy to TDCJ www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Interview-Docs.pdf See Errata Page of Corrections and Refinements from version sent to 50 Texas leaders that includes the new Addendum 16. See 50 Texas Leaders and others of 2nd & 3rd send, including 10 U.S. District Judges. See Addendum 16, sent to 50 as supplement update of TDCJ Deep State Report, that oulines the infamy of Open Records documents that took an ENTIRE YEAR to receive from TDCJ's Office of General Counsel. See proposed William Overton Codicil for legislators to add to the current Open Records law, so that it does not take a YEAR of fighting for SIMPLE clarifications. TDCJ's Counsel violated the OR law several times, documented, and over the years sometimes only responded when an appeal was made to the Texas Attorney General's OR Enforcement Division. .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gib Lewis State Prison Chaplaincy Department, 2011 - nice! In 2007, helped return 25 TDCJ to State Budget - Letter from Rep. Jim McReynolds - He helped in a load of efforts over the years, a fine man. Congress on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) Report 1992, sent to all TDCJ Chaplains in 1993 - sage advice still relevant - instead of caving, this advice was followed by one chaplain since 1993, and this page is the continued result of defending prison chaplaincy for 20 years. |
"The opposite of faith is not heresy but indifference."
Elie Wiesel
Holocaust and helped plan the American memorial to the victims
of the Holocaust;
see his
Report to the President
on the President's Commission on the Holocaust (1979).
"Society wants men to be taught to use liberty wisely while deprived of it" (p. 11). "I believe there is a treasure in the heart of every man if we can find it — if we can help him find it. I believe this is the true way to fight crime" (p. 229, the last two sentences).
James V. Bennett, I Chose Prison
(Alfred A. Knopf, 1970, 229p),
Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons
1937 to 1964, during the time of the
most substantial change in in-prison
programming in the history of the world.
Faith Data on Texas Prison Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy Faith Percentages FY2010 - comprehensive look at the faith population in TDCJ for FY 2010 ...
Much more to come ...
Historic Documents Texas Prison Chaplaincy
Chaplain Professional Equity Proposal - 2000 ~ Original proposal that gained support and attained the 1st pay group raise of Texas Chaplains in 40+ years during the 2001 Texas Legislature - a bear to complete and still a powerful presentation on Chaplaincy, the Chaplaincy Market, and the value of Chaplaincy to TDCJ and Texas. See Programmer Pay Grade.
Chaplain Professional Equity Fact Sheet 2000 - first two-page fact sheet used that showed statistics and specific contributions to mission-critical functions of the agency.
Chaplain Professional Equity Letter 2001 - four-page color letter used in Austin 2001 as we fought for Chaplaincy Professional Equity, made a couple hundred color copies and passed out in Austin.
V V V House Appropriations Chair Rob Junnell receives Honor State Chaplain Award V V V
^ click to see larger ^
Some have minimized my work and, sadly, a few even took credit for some of it. Here is a letter from Texas Representative Jim McReynolds. He really helped us when it counted.
^ click to see larger ^
^ click to see larger - used to saturate
Austin in 2001, 2007, 2011 ^
Chaplain Equity TIMELINE April 2002 for Gary Johnson - a 100-page letter to Executive Director Gary Johnson, that four of us chaplains personally presented to Johnson over that included many unethical business practices. It contains much of the 2000 proposal, revised, and a critical TIMELINE of the unethical tweaking of the Chaplaincy Director's job description and much more. A piece for the archives, if ever there was. Pages 54-65 have timeline of unethical practices.
Gary Johnson -
September 2002 - Moratorium on Director of Chaplain Position - to
forestall more unethical hiring and degrading of TDCJ Chaplaincy -
Johnson initiated an internal affairs investigation,
but it was determined nothing purely illegal took place, though ethics had
been thrown out the window.
It was a warning that unethical practices would continue, and they did, in
the hiring of Bill Pierce shortly afterward, who did not even have an
accredited bachelor's degree.
See
Bill Pierce's 2000
Application here, at the time, the lowest qualified "director" of
chaplains in the history of the U.S.
August 22, 2014 - Letter to Brad Livinston, Oliver Bell, legislators and TBCJ - plea for investigation ... and nothing follows
Chaplaincy Audit 2001 ~ First in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 136 of the TDCJ's chaplains in November of 2001. No other more comprehensive look at correctional chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date. See how they themselves view the profession.
History of In-Prison Programming in the USA by Dr. Michael G. Maness, 1997 for his dissertation at New Orleans Seminary
Etymology of "Chaplain" ~ Michael G. Maness history and etymology of word "chaplain"
Legislation on "Chaplain" in Texas' 81st Legislature
Equity for ALL Behind the Wire - and Chaplains - Letter to Steve Ogden, Chairman of Texas Senate Finance Committee, et al
Religion in Prison: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains (3-22-12), what they do, what happens
Documents of Note Related to TDCJ Rehabilitation & Reentry
General TDCJ Operations |
Chaplaincy & Volunteers |
Texas Sunset Report 2006-07 - TDCJ Another 12 Years - First issue rehabilitation - TX recidivism 30% v. CA 60% |
|
Volunteerism in Texas 2002 - nothing sub. on TDCJ chaplaincy |
|
Volunteer Environmental Scan 2001 - nothing sub. on TDCJ chaplaincy |
|
Baylor Religion Study 2006 & Texas Religion Chart - importance of religion in general to most of the population |
|
California Chaplain Study - 1991 ~ Leadership Complexity |
|
Pew Report - Behind Bars 2008 - look at prisons in USA |
|
Texas State Auditor's Classification Plan for 04-05 - All Jobs |
|
Texas State Auditor's Classification Plan for 06-07 - All Jobs |
Maryland Chaplaincy Expansion Proposal 1992
Inside Corrections - Ok Chaplaincy, Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections (March/April 2012 • 24:2), devoted to Chaplaincy |
TDCJ Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 - raw data on 150 TDCJ chaplains |
|
Faith-based Dorm 5 Years - Alfred Unit - Disciplinaries decrease |
Supporting Documents & Technical Treatises
Professional Correctional Chaplaincy: Fact or Fiction, by Dr. Vance Drum, Senior Chaplain, Eastham Prison, TDCJ, a paper presented at the 2007 American Correctional Chaplaincy Association convention.
Measuring Prison Chaplaincy Complexity, Maness 2001 Article, Restorative Justice News
Chaplains & Career Ladder ~ small request to raise 50 of the most senior TDCJ chaplains to Chaplain III; this would be the first career ladder for TDCJ chaplains in Texas history, even as they recover entire operating costs.
Baylor 2006 Landmark Study of Religion - unique and comprehensive look a religion
Chaplaincy Audit 2001 ~ FIRST in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 136 of the TDCJ's chaplains in November of 2001. No other more comprehensive look at correctional chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date. See how they themselves view the profession.
History of In-Prison Programming in the USA by Dr. Michael G. Maness, 1997 for his dissertation at New Orleans Seminary
Restorative Justice—America's New Frontier (print ready) and RJ Original Publication - Michael G. Maness, published in Texas Journal of Corrections Vol. 29:4, Nov. 2003
Prison Re-Entry
Report of the
Re-Entry Policy Council (2004) A huge 658-page
cross-continental study, see more at
www.ReEntryPolicy.org
Re-Entry in
Texas (2004) A good study by the
Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.
Special Studies
Pew
Center on the States - One in 100 Behind Bars 2008 -- comprehensive
look at prison in the USA
Chaplaincy and Volunteers
COST-Effectiveness ~
Fiscal Impact Statement ~ Chaplains Recover
ENTIRE Operating Costs 3x over,
irrefutably, even more with thought --Best Kept Secret in Texas
Chaplaincy
Market ~
Texas Chaplains are deserving of Professional Equity
National Chaplaincy Standards
~ TRUE Benchmarks for Success
TDCJ Chaplaincy & ACA Standards
~ THE Pursuit of Excellence involves the American Correctional Association:
Chaplaincy was there from the beginning
Flannelly, Kevin J., Linda L Emanuel, George F Handzo, Kathleen Galek,
Nava R Silton, and Melissa Carlson. “A
National Study of Chaplaincy Services and End of Life Outcomes,”
BMC Palliative Care 11, no. 10 (July
2012).
TDCJ Chaplaincy's Unmatched Statistics - True & Hidden Treasures
TDCJ
Staff Chaplain Cumulative Stats FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Superlative numbers deserving equity in support
TDCJ
- RPD Quarterlies, 21 in All - FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Staff Chaplain stats not mentioned one single time
Chaplaincy Statistics Cumulative 2010-2011-2012
Chaplaincy Statistics CLIPPED for FY2010-11
FY2004
Chaplaincy Stats
~ Compare > FY
2002
~ FY
2001
~ FY
2000
~
FY 1999
~
FY 1998
~
These are extraordinary Performance Measures -- here for the first time.
See also the
TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure
Management - 2000 ed.
The
Independent Sector valued a volunteer’s
time at $23 per hour in 2015. With 560,261 volunteer hours reported in
2012, that is over $13.4 million for one year. Therefore, upon facilitation of
volunteers alone, chaplaincy recovers its entire operating costs over three
times! Some volunteers are worth much more
TDCJ RPD Division Reports from Marvin Dunbar, Manager III to Director, though
reports do not have routing
Chaplaincy Overview 2012 -
Chaplaincy Overview 2011 -
Chaplaincy Overview 2010
Open Record requests did not yield that any of these went to TBCJ
TDCJ
Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 - First in Texas History, the raw data
on questionnaires from ALL of TDCJ's 150 chaplains in November of 2000.
See how they themselves view the profession.
Primary
Chaplaincy Equity Documents
~
Chaplains -
Help - with Career Ladder small request to raise 40 of the most
senior TDCJ chaplains to Chaplain III; this would be the first career
ladder for TDCJ chaplains in Texas history--and still they recover ENTIRE
operating costs.
Chaplain Equity Proposal - Old - 2001 ~
Original proposal that gained support and attained the 1st pay group raise of
Texas Chaplains in 35+ years, the initial justification for full Chaplain
Professional Equity
TDCJ
Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 ~
FIRST
in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 150 TDCJ's chaplains in
November of 2000. No other more comprehensive look at correctional
chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date. See how they themselves view the
profession.
Cost-Effectiveness -- Chaplains Recover ENTIRE Operating Costs
3x
over, Irrefutably, even more with thought --
Best Kept Secret in Texas
Chaplaincy
Market ~ Without doubt - Texas Chaplains are Long Overdue
History
& Value of Correctional Chaplaincy ~
Emmett Solomon
(R.I.P. - 1936-2014)
Carol Vance on Chaplaincy ~ former TDCJ Board Chairman
Desert Storm & Prison Chaplaincy ~ Senior Chaplain M. Mantooth
Measuring Prison Chaplaincy Complexity, Maness 2001
Article ~ Restorative Justice News, Sept.-Dec., 2001, by
Michael G. Maness
Chaplain's
Job: Complex & Pervasive ~
Michael G. Maness
Brown, Leo E., “Prison Chaplaincy,”
Inside Corrections (March/April, 2012), 9-33, see
www.Ok.gov/doc/documents/marchapril.pdf,
the role of prison chaplaincy in Oklahoma, the whole issue devoted to
highlighting chaplaincy--superb article!
Professional Correctional Chaplaincy: Fact or
Fiction, by Dr. Vance Drum, Senior Chaplain, Eastham Prison, TDCJ, a
paper presented at the 2007 American Correctional Chaplaincy Association
convention.
Professional Chaplaincy: Role in Healthcare 2001 - no photos
One of the
most significant pieces of work on the contribution of professional
chaplaincy
by the largest collection of cross-disciplinary chaplaincy professionals as a
joint statement by the ACPE, APC, CAPPE, NACC and NAJC, a thought provoking look
at the complexity and depth of service by a professional chaplaincy. " The
first joint statement on this subject prepared by the five largest healthcare
chaplaincy organizations in North America representing over 10,000 members.
As a consensus paper, it presents the perspectives of these bodies on the
spiritual care they provide for the benefit of individuals, healthcare
organizations and communities."
FULL Version >
Professional Chaplaincy Role 2001 - 2.5 Mgs
**
See site of origin >
www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/publications/publications/white_paper_05.22.01/index.html
Impact of
Inmate Participation In Chaplaincy Programs
Florida DOC 2001 document a clear correlation between inmate chapel attendance
and institutional adjustment, namely, lower disciplinary reports. Chapel
attendance was tracked for the months of July, August and September 2001 and
compared with statewide disciplinary reports on prisoners. The result is
incontrovertible: Chapel attendance by inmates positively effects the
institution with as much as 2/3 less disciplinary reports for those who attend
10+ times a month.
Watson-Wyatt vs. Solucient Surveys - the most significant data source
used by the Texas State Auditor's office on Chaplains was from the Watson-Wyatt
survey, yet the survey is grossly inadequate to discern a true market for
chaplains. Watson-Wyatt list of 551 hospitals is compared to the "Top 100
Hospitals" selected by Solucient, where Solucient's 460 Top 100 are culled from
3,000+ hospitals from 1993-2000, as well as 18 of the 20 largest pharmaceutical
manufacturers in the US (all the US hospitals reporting to Medicare):
astounding is the fact that so few of Watson-Wyatt hospitals appear in any
Solucient Top 100.
Prison
Ministries - Partial List of TDCJ Chaplains' Network - 700+
TDCJ Chaplaincy Statistics
-
not published by TDCJ, ever, to anyone
FY2012-Chaplaincy
~
FY2011
~
FY2010
<
these as given for volunteers only - no time to consolidate yet
~
FY2004 ~
FY 2002
~ FY
2001
~
FY 2000
~
FY 1999
~
FY 1998
~
These are extraordinary Performance Measures -- here for the first time.
--See
TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure
Management 2000 Ed.
NEW:
TDCJ Staff Chaplain Cumulative Stats FYs 2013, 2014,
2015, 2016
Superlative
numbers deserving equity in support
NEW:
TDCJ - RPD Quarterlies, 21 in All - FYs 2013, 2014,
2015, 2016
Staff Chaplain stats not
mentioned one single time
TDCJ RPD Division Reports from Marvin Dunbar, Manager III to Director, though
reports do not have routing
Chaplaincy Overview 2012 - Chaplaincy
Overview 2011 - Chaplaincy
Overview 2010
Open Record requests did not yield that any of
these went to TBCJ
TDCJ Cumulative Statistics on Chaplaincy
2012-2011-2010 - Extraordinary Service
TDCJ Cumulative Statistics CLIPPED for FY2010-11
See the Independent Sector's Valuation of Volunteer Service - $23 per hour in
2015
www.IndependentSector.org/volunteer_time
As chaplains facilitate volunteers, there is a two-fold cost recovery on that
alone. And many volunteers are worth much more than that, and chaplaincy
contributes much more.
Prison
Unit Employee Pay Equity ~ How "attrition" is not the best excuse to
give raises
TDCJ & Texas State General Information
~
Prison
Unit Employee Pay Equity ~
How "Attrition" is a poor excuse to
give raises
State Classification Proposal for 2000-2001**
~
This was the proposal offered to the 77th Legislative Session. Chaplains
are on page 40. Beyond this proposal, our Legislators in 2001 gave a one
pay group raise to State Chaplains, the first in 40+ years. Also beyond
this proposal, the Correctional Officers of our prisons received a career ladder
up to 5 levels from 3 - somewhat paralleling what proposal was offering Juvenile
Correctional Officers.
2002-09-22 Letter to Gary Johnson asking for Moratorium on Hiring
Director of Chaplains because of hiring improprieties.
2004-2005
Proposed Changes to State Classification Schedule --
Chaplaincy Left Out Again -- Surprising Adjustments and Rationale that makes
CHAPLAIN Professional EQUITY all the more reasonable --
Auditor's Correctional Officer's Report
**
~
The State Auditors report on Correctional Officer Staffing, needs,
assessments, etc., that does NOT necessarily reflect the experience of the
officers themselves. They could have done better for our staff -- namely
focused attention on how to increase pay in proportion to the "value" of their
service to the state of Texas. For instance, there is much well analyzed
data on raw facts but nearly nothing done on the complexity or stresses of the
job or how that job impacts the overall effectiveness of the TDCJ's mission
statement.
TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure
Management 2002 edition
**HOW
performance measures are SUPPOSED to be used
Texas State Auditor's Methodology Manual - Frames
~
No Frames ~
This is how they do what they do - expansive AND informative to Chaplain
Professional Equity
**
**
NEEDs Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 < Free>
click here
http://TDCJ.state.tx.us/ ~
http://www.CAPITOLstate.tx.us/ ~
http://www.SAO.state.tx.us/ ~
http://www.TXDirectory.com/ ~
http://www.LBB.state.tx.us/ ~
http://www.STATE.tx.us/
Where "Professional Equity" Began
~
Chaplains
Speak: Education & Experience Second to None
Rationale for Professional Equity for Chaplains ~
M.G. Maness
WHY
for Chaplains ~
M.G. Maness
Watershed History ~ Where & When it all
began
First Pay Scale
Comparison ~ To TX Representative Ellis
showing odd differences &
asking basic questions
Chaplains Get a Small Boost ~ RJN article, May-Aug., 2001: from Texas
Senate & House to a conference committee, "how" we got a the 1st pay group raise
for state chaplains in state history, not yet Professional Equity, but a nice
boost
U.S. Army Chaplaincy Program
~
U.S.
Army Chaplaincy Constitutional Defense ~
U.S. Army Chaplaincy History ~ the
BEST
history of any Professional Chaplaincy Organization in the World --
bar none
-- extraordinary
Where Prison Chaplaincy Began:
History & Theory
Chaplaincy: Greatest Story 'Never' Told ~ David B. Plummer
Etymology of "Chaplain" ~
Michael G. Maness history and etymology of
word "chaplain"
Chaplain as Representative of the Transcendent ~ Guy Greenfield
History of In-Prison Programming in America ~
M.G. Maness
Relevant Technical Studies & Other Info ~
new PBS Documentary,
"How Chaplains 'Lean into Painful Places'" article in Huffington Post, by Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service (11-2-15, 7:47 pm), summing and telling about PBS Documentary
Strategic
Plan to Reduce Crime Through a Public/Private Partnership
Proposal to Build Prison Chapels**
~
Frank
Graham & Chapel of Hope Huge,
noble effort to build free standing chapels in ALL Texas Prisons
Congress on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) Report 1992, sent to all TDCJ Chaplains in 1993 - sage advice still relevant
California Chaplain Study - 1991 ~ Chaplain Leadership Complexity
California Chaplain Study - 2001 ~ Chaplain Leadership Complexity
Marsh v. Chambers 1983 ~ Supreme Court decision supporting state paid chaplains to open Nebraska's legislature with prayer
Maryland Chaplaincy Expansion Proposal 1992 ~ Sociologically Poignant
Wisconsin 1998 Faith-Based Approaches** ~ Chaplaincy First
Brown, Leo E., “Prison Chaplaincy,” Inside Corrections (March/April, 2012), 9-33, see www.Ok.gov/doc/documents/marchapril.pdf, the role of prison chaplaincy in Oklahoma, the whole issue devoted to highlighting chaplaincy--superb article!
Major Chaplaincy Networks & Training
Clinical Training & Networks
Association of Clinical Pastoral Education ~
Find ACPE Center
Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training
Health
Care Chaplaincy Network & CPE.org
Major Chaplain Certifications
American Correctional Chaplains Association
Association of Certified Christian Chaplains
Association of Professional Chaplains
Canadian Association for Spiritual Care
Center for Spiritual Care & Pastoral Formation
College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy
Healthcare Chaplains Ministry
Association
International Association of
Christian Chaplains
National Association of Catholic Chaplains
National Association of Veterans Affairs
Chaplains
National Conference of Veterans Affairs
Catholic Chaplains
Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains
National Institute of Business and Industrial
Chaplains
Polunsky Security Camera Data - Wardens KNEW about Twilight Zone
Polunsky Security Cameras:
See then TDCJ Michelle Lyons' 2011 article
www.SecurityInfoWatch.com/news/10534358/texas-prisons-migrate-to-network-video.
Compare with STS360’s VP Jessica Clark’s 2013 article
http://security-today.com/Articles/2013/09/01/Behind-the-Bars.aspx
See www.PreiousHeart.net/OIG/Clark-2013.pdf and www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Lyons-2011.pdf,
in case any of the primary sources change the original
addresses to the articles.
NEW --- 70 TBCJ Summary Reports 2007 to 2019
with Chaplaincy Word
Frequency Analysis
by Michael G. Maness
author of
How We
Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011
See PDF with all 70 summaries in 895 searchable pages here:
www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy/TBCJ_2007-2019.pdf
These 70 Texas
Board of Criminal Justice meeting summaries cover March 2007 to Feb. 2019—12 years—TBCJ meeting #130 to #203.
At each meeting, each board member had a stack of other material
related to each agenda item.
Most summaries are 10-15 pages, for 895 pages in all, with 300,482 words. Of
the 12 years from.
TDCJ Links to each report from March 2007 to Feb. 2019 at
www.TDCJ.Texas.gov
February 08, 2019
Certainly, no one
is going to read most of these, and few will read more than one.
What is interesting are the two revisions to the TBCJ Board Rule on
donated property for religious purposes that had to wait 30 days with
publication in the Texas Register.
The “no comments” to that publication is likely not that unusual, being
that the readers are mostly lawyers and so few even attend the TBCJ meetings.
TBCJ
#146, 12-10-2009 & TBCJ #147, 2-11-10
~
TBCJ #173, 6-5-14 & TBCJ #174,
8-22-14
Why was such attention given to this?
Just to
clarify
seemed moot.
We shall never know, though we have initiated an Open Record request for
a list of the donated
projects, and that revealed
little reason. That is, there were no extraordinary donations imminent.
Word Frequency Analysis on “Chaplaincy” in 70 TBCJ Reports
Of these 70 TBCJ summaries from 2007 to 2019—12 years—TBCJ meetings #130 to #203, this moderate analysis reveals
how little chaplaincy is used, even minimized, related to their contributions in
the facilitation of the vast array of volunteer and religious facilitation.
Chaplaincy 18x … Chaplains 2x …
Chaplain 2x
12 x Chaplaincy
refers to one of the many volunteer awards, “from
Chaplaincy”
while most all the other awards are religious oriented
under Chaplaincy
1x
Chaplaincy,
Barak Foundation personal property donation of
342 books to “Chaplaincy Program,”
(TBCJ #130, 3-30-7).
In ten years,
and from a single donation, yet most TDCJ Chaplains will receive individual and
bulk donations of books and Bibles, newsletters, pamphlets and booklets of a
value between $30-50,000 each year.
1x
Chaplaincy,
“addition of 20 additional staff positions to
Chaplaincy Department,” (TBCJ #130, 5-24-7), though the minutes do
not mention that 25 in all were added by the legislature, and TDCJ decided
to put five into parole positions.
1x
Chaplaincy,
TDCJ Exec. Dir. Brad Livingston noted simply that
that the “House and Senate appropriations bills restored funding for the TDCJ
chaplaincy department” (TBCJ #154, 4-8-11).
1x
Chaplaincy,
in a long paragraph on volunteer contribution
“TDCJ’s rehabilitative program” TDCJ Exec. Dir. Brad Livingston also added
“success of the volunteer effort in
chaplaincy” (TBCJ #160, 4-19-12).
1x
Chaplaincy,
TDCJ Council Sharon Howell proposed an amendment
to TBCJ board rule 1. Section 152.71 to “clarify that donated buildings shall be
used by offenders, to participate in programs with religious and other
volunteers, the TDCJ Chaplaincy
staff, and other programmatic personnel” (TBCJ #173, 6-5-14).
1x
Chaplains –
in Public Comments, 8-21-9, Jim Dinsmore
“advised the TBDJ that there was great need for additional
chaplains.”
2x
Chaplain,
1x
Chaplains 1x Chaplaincy, when Marvin Dunbar recognized
Chaplain Vance Drum as “president of the American Correctional
Chaplains Association, which is an
affiliate of the American Corrections Association” and “Chaplain Michael Rutledge as the assistant director of the
Chaplaincy Department,” the latter
not a member of ACCA and whose position Dunbar created to leapfrog Rutledge from
a unit chaplain to supervisor of chaplains (TBCJ #166, 4-5-19).
Religion 1x … Religious 52x
1x
Religion,
EEO correction of PD-12, “color,
sex (gender), religion, national
origin, age (40 or above), diability…” (TBCJ #146, 12-10-09).
25x
Religious,
at annual volunteer awards,
Religious Service, usually two.
1x Religious,
from Public Comments, Alison Dieter spoke
on “restoring religious
services to death row offenders”
and mentioned harsh conditions (TBCJ #136, 4-26-19).
5x
Religious,
on the agenda and in several minutes, related to
BP-02.84 and Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of
Gifts and Grants Related to Building for
Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Melinda
Bozarth noted BP-02.84 was identical to Board Rule 152.71, considered at a later
meeting, and 37 TAC was under mandatory 4-year review and needed amending (TBCJ
#146, 12-10-2009).
2x
Religious,
on the agenda and in several minutes, Title
37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants
Related to Building for Religious
and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), since no comment was made upon
its publication in (12-09) Texas Register, TDCJ Counsel Melinda Bozarth
recommended TBCJ adopt the rule as presented in packet (TBCJ #147, 2-11-10).
1x
Religious,
TDCJ Counsel Melinda Bozarth recommended changes
to offender Disciplinary Rules, specifically Sec. III.B.3.d that “certain
religious items may not be taken from an offender as a disciplinary
sanction” (TBCJ #148, 4-8-10).
1x
Religious,
during Public Comments, Gloria Rubac spoke on
behalf of death row and solitary confinement offenders and asked when
“suspended programming will be reinstated, such as piddling, the work
program, and religious programs”
(TBCJ #168, 8-23-13).
5x
Religious,
on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37
Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related
to Building for Religious and
Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented
the rule, “noting its amendment to clarify that donated buildings shall be used
by offenders, to participate in programs with
religious and other volunteers, the TDCJ
Chaplaincy staff, and other programmatic personnel” (TBCJ #173,
6-5-14).
3x
Religious,
on
the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code
Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for
Religious and Programmatic
Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented Board Rule
152.71 previously “noting its amendment to clarify that donated buildings
shall be used by offenders, to participate in programs with
religious and other volunteers,
the TDCJ Chaplaincy staff, and
other programmatic personnel” and that appeared in Texas Register (6-20-14)
with no public comments, and she asked that it be finally adopted (TBCJ
#174, 8-22-14).
See Texas Register (v39:25, p. 4734, pdf p. 26), which changes seem moot.
1x
Religious,
during Public Comments, Pat Harwell spoke on
solitary confinement reading an offender’s list of complaints, “no make-up for
recreation time lost due to bad weather, and the deprivation of sleep,
religious services,” and asked the
TBCJ investigate (TBCJ #174, 8-22-14).
4x
Religious,
on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37
Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related
to Building for Religious and
Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented
proposed amendments, as it is up for 4-year review, and “proposed changes do not
affect any practice and clarify the responsibilities associated with donating
buildings to the TDCJ” (TBCJ #202, 8-13-18).
4x
Religious,
on the agenda and in several minutes, Title
37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants
Related to Building for Religious
and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell
presented the previously approved amendments, that it has appeared in the
Texas Register 12-28-18 with no subsequent comments and that the board
move forward with final adoption (TBCJ #203, 2-8-19).
See
Texas
Register (v43:52, pp. 8568-69, pdf pp.
58-59),
which changes are dramatic, though similarly moot, as if a volunteer org would
hire unqualified builders or that TDCJ might have been somehow obligated prior
to change to use unqualified builders, further secularizing and appear to make
it harder for volunteers to build chapels.
One wants to ask if all the Board Rules were similarly scrutinized,
especially since so few (if any) donated
buildings or enhancements were
ever done by purely secular organizations.
That is, I doubt
any building or significant enhancement has ever
been done by a purely non-religious organization.
That is, as most know, all or most all have been done for Chaplaincy
Programs, or at least by those with religious motives, and mostly by Christians.
Be interesting to see that studied.
Were any prospective donor
groups were invited?
I doubt it.
Likewise, where there any prospective donor groups
in mind for
these changes?
Or more simply, were
there any current donor projects in progress at all?
Volunteerism 5x, Volunteer 360x
Most all uses were during the Annual
Governor’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Services Awards Ceremony. … now, maybe it
is just a coincidence that two Board Rule changes happened during the
four meetings
where there were no significant volunteers invited.
Maybe not.
03-24-07
12th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony
TBCJ
#131
TBCJ Board Rule changes on donated property for religious purposes:
#146, 12-10-2009
#147, 2-11-10 … and
#173, 6-5-14
#174, 8-22-14
On #154, no mention was made of the volunteers that HELPED save Chaplaincy earlier in the year.
Conclusion?—If the TBCJ Really Valued
Volunteers, Chaplaincy Would be
Secure
The TBCJ looks at a lot of
material for a huge agency. One might think the Chaplaincy Department within the
Rehabilitation Programs Division (RPD) a small affair not deserving Board
attention—a near non-entity in their reports.
And the Programs Division itself has never published anything significant
on what the Chaplains do for the last 25-plus years.
Volunteers are noticed once a year at
the TBCJ meetings in the guise of an Annual Governor’s Award, some 20,000
strong, with numerous awards for a variety of services.
Look at the award names.
Good
causes all of them.
What is not
apparent is that most are for religious
volunteerism.
Even the “Employee Volunteer” is most often a Chaplaincy volunteer.
Who “volunteers” for a strictly secular purpose?
The AA volunteer at the Gib Lewis Unit in Woodville for 15 years was a
CVCA, Certified Volunteer Chaplains Assistant, and he volunteered for AA for
strictly Christian purposes.
It’s
the same for most volunteers, though the RPD has gone to great lengths to make
as much volunteerism as possible appear
non-religious, when the facts are
actually the opposite.
What is NOT APPARENT and never related
with clarity by the RPD or anywhere is that the 120 Chaplains are the staffers
that facilitate 95% of the 20,000 volunteers, perhaps 99.999% of them religious.
But who knows?
The TDCJ and
RPD have rebuffed efforts at honest analysis
for decades, and the recent
hiring of non-educated Dir. of Religious Services is just another part of the
sad story of obfuscating the work of Chaplains and hiding the benign
profession’s work.*
Notably, at
the 158th TBCJ meeting on Dec. 9, 2010, there was no mention of TDCJ’s plan to
delete—i.e., zero budget—the entire Chaplaincy Department.
Only on the 154th TBCJ meeting on April 8, 2011, was there mention that
Texas House and Senate restored
funding.
The only—only—reason in Austin was that “the volunteers can do it all.”
That story was told in full in
How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy
2011—the Immeasurable Value of Religion, Volunteers, and Their Chaplains
which detailed all.**
Volunteers are
facilitated by staff, and no one cares for them more than the Chaplains, and
Madeline Ortiz knew that when she attempted to kill the department.
The volunteers helped save it—and the TBCJ should have, too.
The greatest source of change in human
history is religion, and chaplains care like few.
Man in the Arena,
by Theodore Roosevelt
(1858-1919), Speech at the Sorbonne,
Paris,
France, April 23, 1910 ... 26th U.S President 1901-1909
Author of Forewords by
Frank E. Graham Jr.
Jerry A. Madden,
Senior Fellow, Right on Crime; Chair, Texas House Committee on Corrections 2005-09 and
2011-12
Carol S. Vance,
Former Chairman of the TBCJ; Harris County District Attorney, 1966-79
Dr. Keith Bellamy,
Senior Minister, Woodville Church of Christ; TDCJCertified Volunteer Chaplain and Chaplain of Tyler
County
|
“A person’s religion should have no bearing on his or her freedom. All are entitled to the same level of protection in the free world, in the courts, in prison, and in the judicial process. Recidivism should not be a factor in religious programming. One of the most potent elements for serious change is also an axiom of most of the world's religions: a man or woman grows best in their faith when they are sincerely searching of their own free will, unencumbered by either government favor or hostility and in the context of true freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.
"We have come a long way, especially in America, and freedom of religion and conscience is the greatest asset of all. That is not hard to understand, but it is hard to live. How we administrate that freedom in our prisons is the most important programming issue of the 21st century."
Michael Glenn Maness (working paper)