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Governor: No crisis from prison understaffing - move along, nothing to see here

By Gritsforbreakfast

Texas' shortage of prison guards, which in some cases has resulted in three correctional officers supervising 500 inmates in a dorm setting and recently forced the closure of a wing at the Dalhart unit, isn't a "crisis," says Governor Perry, contradicting Sen. John Whitmire who'd used that word earlier in the week.Retorted the Austin Statesman editorial board, "It would be tragic if proof of a crisis arrived in the form of a prison riot that overran, and perhaps murdered, guards." Indeed, it would be both "tragic" and preventable. Gov. Perry and the Legislature have been warned of this growing dilemma for several years, but in 2007 preferred to construct new prisons (that we probably can't staff) instead of addressing the lack of guards at current ones...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on January 13, 2008 (boomark / email).