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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1986)
4 Thursday, February 13, 1986/The Battalion/Page 9 Packed Texas prisons Foreign inmates taking up space Associated Press HUNTSVILLE — Texas’ overcrowded prisons are being used as expensive holding facili ties for as many as 1,000 illegal alien convicts awaiting processing for deportation, a study shows. An additional 700 inmates — U.S. citizens — are jailed longer than necessary because of the overuse of criminal detainers, according to a report released by Sam Houston State University. The study, headed by Marilyn McShane, Louisiana criminolo gist who worked 15 months for the Texas Department of Correc tions, also says many prosecutors abuse the detainer program to from earning prevent convicts early release. “It’s very crazy and it’s an ex pensive tab for the state to pick up,” McShane said. “We’ve given the INS (Immigration and Natu ralization Service) a free hand for treating the holds like criminal warrants.” The INS holds on the illegal alien inmates generally are not to permit the filing of additional criminal charges, but rather to al low time for a check of an in mate’s citizenship status, the re port says. S.O. “Woody” Woods, TDC di rector of records and classifica tion, said he generally agreed with the report and that most of the inmates with detainers can still earn a considerable amount of time off their sentence. The Texas prisons dropped a program last year that was de signed to transfer to other coun tries all the illegal aliens incarcer ated in Texas. Support for pre-parole plan drops si it Hn the i Associated Press AUSTIN — The Texas Board of Corrections Wednesday in one of several actions backed away from a pre-parole program in which 50 inmates would be sent home to their families. Gov. Mark White has ex pressed personal concerns about the program, an aide to the gov ernor said after the prison board’s unanimous vote. Chair man A1 Hughes of Austin, a White appointee, said the gover nor had not discussed the plan with him. Lawmakers approved the pre parole transfer program in 1983 as part of a package aimed at re ducing prison crowding. The Board of Pardons and Paroles last year began sending some low-risk inmates to halfway houses as early as six months before their parole date. The plan the prison board voted down Wednesday would al low as many as 50 inmates to be released to their homes as early as six months before their parole date. The plan had received ten tative approval in January. Hughes said the pre-parole re lease program could be fraught with legal problems, including whether the Texas Department of Corrections could be held lia ble for the released inmates. Those inmates would, techni cally, remain in TDC custody. Hughes asked, “If we send him home and he goes next door and commits a crime, what’s our liabil ity?” The chairman said he views the program as potentially good for inmates, but not a big enough ef fort to make a dent in overcrowd ing. He estimated that 15 to 20 per cent of TDC’s inmates could ben efit by going to a halfway house or their home before their actual release. “They could be learning a trade — interacting with the com munity while serving their debt to society,” he said. The board vote came after a brief discussion. Board member Tom McDade of Houston said the plan should be withdrawn, at least temporarily, because of complications and legal prob lems. Steve Stubbs, an analyst in the public protection unit of White’s budget and planning division, said White has personal concerns about the program that he has communicated to the Board of Corrections.” The cost of screening inmates, checking their homes and fami lies and then monitoring them could be more than the program is worth, he said. Also Wednesday, the prison board voted to allow the General Land Office to take bids Feb. 21 on 297 acres of land in Harris County. Hughes said a Harris County water district wants to buy the land for $3.2 million. Proceeds from the sale would be used to build a new prison on land al ready owned by TDC. Ex-employees succeed •e prett| liven.. r they' pitted,B h > - y ivideiii* die dit* nmeri .:f Bullock ‘inspires’ workers ir operJ 0 docti'l ns weifi 10 da'fl Associated Press AUSTIN — The “Bullock mafia” is spreading across the state, putting into office dozens of people who de mand that government be efficient. People who have worked for Comptroller Bob Bullock are in the offices of governor, lieutenant gov ernor, attorney general, land com missioner, treasurer and other high appointive and elective offices. “Bullock runs one of the few effi- dent operations in government. It’s the best place to learn about real ad ministration,” said Land Commis sioner Garry Mauro, who worked two years for Bullock. Bill Aleshire, a former Travis County tax assessor-collector and another former Bullock employee, said, “Bullock revolutionized that massive bureaucracy. It was inspira tional for many of us.” Harmon Lisnow, the attorney general’s executive assistant for ad ministration, had seven different jobs during the eight years he worked for Bullock. “You learn you don’t have to ac cept mediocrity in government,” Lis now said. “I always believed it, but I never had a role model before.” Aleshire said he thinks Bullock hires people who already have shown an interest in politics and sparks that interest in others, caus ing them to remain in government service. Mauro said, “I wouldn’t be where I am without Bob Bullock. What sets Bullock apart is his ability to give young people opportunity early.” Mauro was 26 when Bullock made him an assistant comptroller in charge of a $20 million budget. Bullock also gave women and mi norities job opportunities when other doors were closed, said Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Ce celia Burke, who worked for Bullock nearly seven years. When Bullock took office in 1975, the comptroller’s office was involved in a discrimina tion lawsuit. Today, Bullock said, 69 percent of his 2,600 employees are women and 50 percent are minorities. To keep his division managers fresh and searching for better ways to work, he moves them to a new job about once a year, Bullock said. Flowers Supplied by Aggie land Flowers & Gift Shop In-House Or Delivery At No Extra Charge S 7s$: “Every time I’d get ready to move on, he’d give me a new job,” Lisnow said, “You learn about the essence of organization.” Travis County Constable Stacy Suits, who worked for Bullock for nearly three years, said, “Bullock doesn’t like to hear an excuse of why you didn’t get things done. He wants to know why you didn’t get it done yesterday.” “Impatience is a trait of a drunk,” said Bullock, a recovering alcoholic. “You rely on the workhorses and sometimes you ride them to death. I know that’s a problem I have. I think it’s better since I stopped drinking,” the comptroller said. Recalling his days in the comptrol ler’s office, Lisnow said, “I had a great time, but I had a terrible stom ach problem. He was killing me. He’s so intense. Bullock doesn’t do anything halfway.” Bullock said, “I don’t want people thinking this is a way station. I think most of them were given a challenge here. About everyone on the list (of alumni) has improved themselves since they worked here.” Sorry, Offer Not Good With Coupons :;C. . ; J -V--; 7^ h-SssS* Northgate 268-DAVE 211 University Southside 696-DAVE 326 Jersey Please order early, supply limited Why is this man running for Governor? Again? Find out Feb. 19 Former Gov. BILL CLEMENTS JJL ^Tr 8:00 p.m. 206 MSC S3 sicmd] an R rated, rather kinky tale of survival T*chnicolore rSl ms w Easaargsai] Timm™ Class of ’86 Update Pres - Mark Feagins Sec. - Wendy Cochrane V. Pres - Kristi Sherill Treas. - Jay Maust Soc. Sec. - Dan Smith Hist. - Bryan Temple Topic: Class Gift This year the council is going to hold a General Meeting so that the Class can make the final decision of what our Class gift will be. Proposals will be accepted by anyone in the Class of 86 until Feb. 16, 1986. Anyone who has a special suggestion on what the Class Gift should be may submit their proposal in a sealed envelope to the Class of 86 cubicle in the MSC (Room 216). These proposals will be presented at the General Class Meeting and will be voted on separately. February 16 - Deadline for Class Gift proposals to be turned in to Class of 86 cubicle. MSC (Room 216) February 26 - General Class Meeting Topic: Vote on Class gift April 7-8 - Senior Induction Banquets Association of Former Students April 26 - Senior Bash at the Hall of Fame April 27 - Senior Banquet at College Sta. HILTON -Ring Dance at MSC and Rudder Complex The Buck Weirus Spirit Award Buck Weirus Spirit Award Applications now available at: Former Students Association MSC Student Activities Office V.P. Student Services Office Deadline for return, February 28 Place: Former Student Association, MSC