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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1981)
> Page 4 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1981 Local /State L< Texas prisons in most violent year United Press International Eleven inmates in the Texas prison system have been slain by other prisoners this year, and dis turbances are up over past years, but the director of the Texas De partment of Corrections says he is not in a position to point fingers. NOW OPEN (]tcXicin OPEN: FOR LCJNCH 11:00-2:00 P.M. FOR DINNER 5:00-10:00 P.M. 404 E. UNIVERSITY “Tm not an elected official and do not have the luxury to speak out in the way some officials can,” W.J. Estelle Jy. said, referring to remarks made by Gov. Bill Cle ments and State Attorney General Mark White that linked reforms ordered by a federal judge with increased violence. “My primary concern is the safety of inmates and staff,” he said. “Any conclusions somebody else might make under these cir cumstances are strictly his own, not mine.” The 11 slayings this year are more than twice the number for each of the previous two years, and the number of prisoner deaths is 82, up from 50 in 1980. Furthermore, 11 inmate dis turbances have occurred since June — more than twice the num ber in each of the past eight years. In one week this month, violence flared at three prisons, resulting in injuries to 70 guards and inmates and damaging at least $300,000 in property. After a Nov. 20 melee at the TDC Eastham Farm Unit about 20 miles north of Huntsville, White called the situation “very dangerous and serious, directly attributable to the actions of the federal court that has given pris oners the mistaken notion that they do not need to obey the rules and regulations of the prison system.” Meanwhile, Clements said the blame for the disturbances lies di rectly on special master Vincent Nathan, who was appointed by U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice of Tyler to monitor compliance with the judge’s order in April. White said last week he never blamed Justice or Nathan for incit ing violence, but rather that pris oners have used the ruling and Nathan’s staff of monitors as an excuse for violence. An attorney representing in mates in the 10-year-old lawsuit against TDC said the prisoners feel this way. “It is the prisoners’ perception that the court order is being violated, and it happens to be a 100 percent accurate perception,” attorney William Bennett Turner said. “When the system becomes the lawbreaker, what reason do the prisoners have to follow the law?” Huntsville prison spokesman Rick Hartley said: “The way we see it, you have six incidents fom January of 1973 to June of 1981. June of 1981 to now, you have 11. In April, we get a federal court order from Judge Justice, and about June a special master and monitors come on line. “I think there is a statistical corollary between those facts and those numbers.” Estelle said resources have not kept pace with the population. He said the number of prisoners has increased from 15,000 10 years ago to the present 31,400. Also, the concentration of vio lent criminals in the prisons is growing, he said, because of com munity programs offering an alter native to prison for non-violent offenders. Justice ruled the prison system must reduce overcrowding, in crease its work-furlough program and allow prisoners in solitary con finement and administrative seg regation time for exercise. The case is now before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. f .77 77 LAMBDA SIGMA XMAS TREE SALE DEC. 1-9 Corps sponsors needy child By MARY JO RUMMEL Come by and pick up a tree! 3-4- FT. *9 SJ-3 FT. oo Battalion Staff The spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie in the Corps of Cadets is being expanded into the role of “big brothers” to an underprivileged child. The Corps is sponsoring a child through the Christian Children’s Fund, Corps Cha plain Ken Hahn said. The Christian Children’s Fund is a non-denominational organization that links sponsors with underprivileged children of the world, English Professor Robert S. Kellner said. He has worked with the Fund for sev eral years. “It is not an anonymous char ity,” Kellner said. After the money is sent in, the sponsor communicates with the child through letters and photo graphs. The project is being headed by the Corps chaplains from each outfit. This is the first time the Corps as a whole has done this type of project, Hahn said. Hahn said the chaplains will meet this week to discuss how they expect to collect the money for the project. The drive will be held during dead week, Dec. 7 though 11. "It costs a sponsor $18 a month or just $260 a year to make sure a child receivesfooc’ and care,” Kellner said.‘Hu comes out to about 10 ceali from each cadet. The Corpi project will sponsor a childh one full year. Ultimately, the sponsor! money is spent on food, 4 thing and some education Sj the child, Kellner said. He added that without tin financial help of the sponson, many families could not sto together. The children livet home but go to the centerslj food and classes. It takes about two weeks afet the money is sent in tofmdot! who the child being sponsor® is, Kellner said. The childrens the program range from ii to teenagers. Christian Childrens Finn! was established in 1938 and now helping 242,000 childm from 20 countries including!k United States. The program working on a special drive b add 14,000 more children.He Fund’s headquarters is ii mond, Va. Each year the Corps sponsor the March to the Brazos to lie nefit the March of Dimes, bi this project is more than donj ing money, Hahn said. 3ggH| LOST A BOOK RIGHT BEFORE FINALS Lou Will Loan You One ’til You Take Your ExamI And We’ll Bus The Used Ones You Do Have LOU NEEDS YOUR USED BOOKS! inger look S OO iFLOUPOT'SKi Sbisa Commons Northgate — At the corner across from the Post Office aTm LOUPOT'S aTm £1 OFF CAMPUS CORNER (At The Corner Across From The Post Office) // Vacation Crime Off Campus Corner . . . What Is It? Hopefully you've heard of the Off Campus Center. We're that office in the Department of Student Affairs which helps to meet the needs of A&M's 25,000 off campus students. Many off campus students tell us that they don't know about campus events, and they feel left out... So, the Off Campus Center and Loupot's Bookstore are bringing you a monthly column in the Battal ion to help you stay aware of activities both on and off cam pus. We wish to give a special thanks to Loupot for his con tinued support and interest in the Texas A&M Aggies. "Off Campus Corner" will contain articles and tips about off campus living and a calen dar of upcoming events. We would like to include a ques tion and answer section. Please submit your questions and comments about off campus living, as well as your sugges tions for the column itself. You may need information about subleasing, lease obligations or any other topic. To submit questions or ideas, stop by the Off Campus Center or mail them to our office. The Off Campus Center is located in Puryear Hall, direct ly across from the YMCA Building. Our phone number is 845-1741. Drop by or call be tween 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Mon day through Friday. 5) ^ ^-1 1 P Off Campus Calendar OFF CAMPUS AGGIES: Announcing the first annual OCA Christmas Semi-Formal, Friday, December 4. 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Bryan Lulac Hall; Dance to the "Texas Nuggets." Tickets available at Rudder Box Office $8.00/couple. ROOMMATE SESSION: The Off Campus Center is holding roommate sessions on the following dates, from 3:00-4:00 p.m.: December 7-11, 14, 15 and January 11-15, 18, 19. Please call for more information. 845-1741. OFF CAMPUS AGGIES: First general meeting for the spring semester. January 27, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Rudder 701. ON ALL AGGIE CHRISTMAS GIFTS! The Christmas Season is almost here and this means a vacation for students! Many of you will be traveling over the holidays leaving your apartment, house, or mobile home unattended. The Off Campus Center would like to remind all off campus students that holidays, unfortunately, are prime time for burglaries. Several apartment complexes in the Bryan/College Station area have some type of security, but the extent and effectiveness of this security varies greatly from complex to complex. Some housing has no security at all. Therefore, you need to take an active part in protecting your property against crime. Take some precautions and follow some simple security steps to help insure a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 1. Strong locks are the single best deterrent to break- ins. Use a rod to lock a sliding glass door or window. 2. Do not leave keys outside your apartment. If you can find them, so can an intruder. 3. Never leave notes indicating that you are away. 4. Keep an inventory of your valuable possessions, listing model numbers, serial numbers, and brand names. Send a copy to parents or a relative. 5. "Operation ID" is a program supported by your local police department in which you engrave your Texas driver's license number on valuable items. An engraver may be checked out from the Campus Police. 6. You may wish to use an automatic (on-off) timer on a lamp. Timers can be purchased for as little as $6.00. 7. Stop all deliveries including mail and news papers. 8. If possible, ask a trusted friend to watch your place. Be sure to leave a number where you can be reached in case of an emergency. 9. Take valuables with you if at all possible: especial ly TVs, stereos, sewing machines, cameras, typewriters and bikes. 10. Don't panic if your apartment has been entered. Contact the police and the manager immediately. Do not "tidy up". The smallest detail could offer valuable information to police in their investiga tion. We urge you to check with your apartment manager or property owner prior to the installation of any security device and for additional security steps. For brochures and other information on Crime Prevention, contact the Police Department or come by the Off Campus Center. 10% OFF Loupot's Off Campus Corner is sponsored each month by Loupot's Bookstore at Northgate as a service to Texas A&M stu dents. Stories and artwork are provided by the staff of the Off Campus Center. msc hospitality presents a The hi dans fi jI studenl |music i Broadv reetion HOLIDAY FASHION SHOW Lt. C f the T duct th the per 7=00-9 : 00 ^ MSC BALLROOM RM 201 TICKETS-75 AVAILABLE AT D0( MSC presents Camera Biomedical Photography Ruth Tunnell Director of Photo Services - Medical School Tuesday Dec. 1 7:30 504 Rudder Oil will inc trio am (male v from tl i&ht ai folium phonic r rn the firs nic ha will im Bal V [