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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1974)
Page 4 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1974 ‘Doing time’ finds new meaning today in Texas prison “Doing time” in a penitentiary once meant paying your debt to society by breaking rocks or stamping license plates. Such is not the case, however, in today’s sweeping prison reform movements across the country. One such reform is taking place at TAMU through the combined efforts of the Criminal Justice Council, the Texas Department of Corrections and TAMU’s Engi neering Extension Service. Eight men from the TDC Walls Unit in Huntsville are engaged in a power lineman training pro gram at Texas A&M’s Research Annex. The men were admitted to the program through a series of ap plications, interviews and records evaluations. “Trusty” status, good conduct records and a general education level of ninth-grade equivalent enabled the men to participate in the training pro gram. “We were all screened careful ly,” James Vincent noted. “But the most important parjb,, of our selection was our application. We had to show that we wanted the training program. We weren’t coerced or “volunteered” for the program; we had to make the first move ourselves.” Being in the program increases the prisoners’ chances for parole, according to TDC Vocational Training Director Michael D. Hopson. “By volunteering for the pro gram, these men are saying, in effect, that they want to learn a trade that will keep them out of trouble. And the program at A&M looks especially good on their records, since they are bus sed from Huntsville to Bryan each day. This shows they are trustworthy individuals.” Although most of the inmates who complete the training pro grams at TAMU and elsewhere are paroled soon after completion of the course, Robert Davis main tains the parole possibility is not the main reason he volunteered. “I wanted to learn a trade which would provide me with a decent living after I’m discharg ed,” he said. “By using the knowledge I’ve gained through this program, I feel I can become a worthwhile citizen and stay out of situations that got me where I am now.” Glite Watson feels training programs such as he is enrolled in will greatly reduce the high rate of returnees after parole or discharge. “Without specialized training, a man can’t get a job,” he noted. “About the only thing available before was chopping cotton, when you were lucky enough to get that. Without a job, a man has to resort to illegal means of pro viding for himself and his fam ily, and I 'think this program will allow men who want to gain their self-respect to do so.” Adan Rios, who was chosen from a volunteer list of 50 in mates, said he feels fortunate to have been given the opportunity to learn a decent trade. “I feel, for once in my life, that I’m accomplishing some thing,” he said. “I believe I can provide a better living when I am discharged, and will have a job I can be proud of.” Smith resigns as library head John B. Smith, TAMU’s director of libraries, has announced his resignation, effective May 31, to accept a position as dean of li brary services and director of li braries at State University of New York at Stony Brook. Smith has headed the TAMU libraries for three years and has been a members of the staff since 1966. “We will certainly miss John iSmith, who has done a remark able job with our libraries,” noted TAMU President Jack K. Wil liams. “His new assignment is an exciting bne aiid we wish his all success.” Prior to joining the TAMU li brary, Smith was assistant law librarian at Columbia University. The College Station native is a 1960 TAMU graduate and 1963 graduate of the Columbia Univer sity School of Library Service. A Xj I*1D N Oldsmobile Cadillac SALES - SERVICE “Where satisfaction is standard equipment” 2401 Texas Ave. 823-8002 The inmates in the training program feel there is a need for more classes, but James Jackson expressed his frank opinion that the public must be considered above all else. “TDC will have to be careful about who they let into the pro gram,” he said. “They can’t put too many of us out in public at one time, or the public wouldn’t consider it safe.” Thomas Horace believes the training program says a lot for the current trend in penal reform. “With a lack of training, many men resort to the same means of ‘making a living’ as they did be fore they were sent to prison,” Horace said. “When we are given training like this, we feel some one cares.” Joe Hewett praised instructors in the training program, saying they are very patient with the program participants. “The staff is very safety-mind ed here,” he noted. “They don’t allow us to work with high volt ages until they are sure we un derstand what we are doing thor oughly.” Companies on the “outside” are very receptive to the pro gram, according to Hopson. He said one firm has indicated a willingness to hire all parolees who have completed the course. “Most power and cable compa nies we have contacted show no reservations about hiring the men,” he continued, “as long as they know the men can do the job.” Hopson pointed out that ap proximately 90 per cent of the inmates completing the course are released on parole within a short time after graduation. He said those not released are em ployed on TDC installations per forming line work on high ten sion lines and other electrical utility facilities. The lineman’s training program at TAMU is only one of several vocational programs offered by the Engineering Extension Serv ice for inmates. Other programs include a heavy equipment oper ator’s course in the summer, and an annual water utilities course. The inmates currently enrolled in the program have been receiv ing their “hands-on” training by re-wiring electrical lines at the Brayton Firemen’s Training Field near the Texas A&M campus. Course instructors reported students have done a first-rate job at the facility, replacing lines and repairing tie-in poj, and other areas on electrical lii With the ultimate aim of o inal justice being the reformai of a criminal into a useful m ber of society, perhaps in; Ollie Watson sums up the cess of the training pro| best. “I’m so proud to have a mi trade,” he said quietly. ■%, can say I know how to make honest living.” i itt mini mimiq GIANT BARI 3 BARS ** UtIKCHOCOlATL milTmmi llltlllll CHOICE OF MILK CHOCOLATE MR. GOODBAR KRACKEL OR ALMOND wujaocoun PANTY HOSE 3 PAIRS ONE-SIZE FITS ALL 100 PERCENT NYLON COFFEE-SPICE OFF BLACK TAUPE BEIGE POND’S M0ISTURI1ER D - A Ke up conpmONer 4 p?, ALBERTO-BALSAM vy-KsuKHMAp tq8 p ? 6ALM-2 POWDER .INVJSIBLe.antI;perspIRanT.8 PZ, THE DRY LOOK S^TTE'S. PRY control for hair 7 p*. AQUA ¥EL¥A ice blue after shave LOTION fi.PZ. WIPE ’N DIPES MURINE DROPS c C? A NS.l N G sooth INO REFRESHING 1.5 OZ. 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