Although
I have introduced myself in this blog in the past, I would like to take some
time now to share with you where I work and implore your help in addressing
something that I have found to be quite upsetting. For those of you who do not
know I work for a non-profit called the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC).
Their mission is as follows:
“The
Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) identifies and advances real solutions
to the problems facing Texas’ juvenile and criminal justice systems. We conduct
policy research and analysis, form effective partnerships, and educate key
stakeholders to promote effective management, accountability, and best
practices that increase public safety, save taxpayer dollars, and preserve
human and civil rights”
You
can visit TCJC’s website here:
I
intern there as a research associate, which basically means that I do grunt
work for a MSW (Masters of Social Work) Policy Analyst. I absolutely love my
job because it allows me do the type of work that I want to engage in
post-graduation. I’m
here at the University of Texas to get my Bachelors of Social Work so that I
can work with currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. I believe that the
American criminal justice system fails to rehabilitate and reintegrate those
involved and that we are taking retribution too far and spending way too much
money incapacitating harmless individuals who are in desperate need of social
services which I wish to provide in the future.
Currently,
I am working on a project related to BR 61 which requires the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to conduct or commission a survey on how to make
their visitation policies more family-friendly, affording the families of those
incarcerated more opportunities to be involved in the rehabilitation of their
loved ones. Above, I have included the link to an implementation guide created
by TCJC which provides more information about BR 61. In the course of
my work I have encountered a lot of comments such as the following one which I
discovered in a Prison Talk forum:
“My [fiancé] is in a Texas state prison. He has
put in the required request form for me to be able to have contact visits with
him, but because we are not related by blood, and because Texas does not
recognize the rights of same-sex couples we do not get these visitations. Not
only did he put in the form but he also had his mother write a request, stating
that they consider me part of the family and that they would appreciate me
getting the same rights as them where visitation is concerned. I have not been
able to hold my man's hand in over a year-and-a-half going on two very shortly.
I am going out of my mind. On top of all of this we (the family and I) are just
under the 400 mile range to where we would get a 4 hour visitation with him
(contact and glass). Does anyone know of a cause, petition or Government leader
who would be willing to fight for us (Gay/Lesbian couples) to receive what we
need in this matter? I can't bear [the] thought of going for another 3 to 7
years [without] holding my man's hand while we talk on the occasions that I can
afford the trip to see him.”
TDCJ
policy only allows immediate relatives (mothers, fathers, siblings, and
children) and those who are legally married to have contact visits, the visits in which the parties are allowed to hug and/or kiss at the beginning and
the end of the visit and in which they get to sit across the table from each
other without a barrier being placed between them. All other visitors must have
regular visits, which are those that occur behind a barrier (either mesh or
Plexiglas) and through which the visitors speak to each other through tiny
holes in the barrier or through a telephone. This policy not only adversely
affects LGBTQ individuals, but anyone who is part of a non-traditional family
structure and I believe that it should be abolished. The majority of states
allow any visitor who has already been approved for a visit (i.e. on the
visitation list) to have a contact visit with the incarcerated individual and I
believe that Texas should do the same. All Texas units already subject all
visitors to the same security screening no matter what type of visit they are
taking part in, so it only makes sense that all visits be contact visits unless
the incarcerated individual’s offense or behavior deems otherwise. All
families, not just "traditional families", should be afforded the opportunities
to build and maintain the bonds that will prove vital post-release and that
decrease the likelihood of recidivism.
So
if you feel that TDCJ should abolish this discriminatory policy please let your
representative know!
Thank
You,
<3
Mylo
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