Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1990)
The Battalion LIFESTYLES OOT CAM A prison guard carefully watches over the inmates as theycto a section of land on the Goree Prison Farm. Goree Style Photos and story by Phelan M. Ebenhack F or young, first time criminals, the Texas Department of Corrections has a home — the. Goree Boot Camp, located five miles south of Huntsville. As prisoners can attest, it’s definitely not a fun place to live. The new and clean set ting deceives new prisoners about what lies ahead. Initially built as a trustee camp, the grounds were hast ily changed to house the boot camp under orders from State District Judge Ted Poe of Houston. The judge had wanted to sentence a prisoner to a boot camp, but the state did not have one. So Judge Poe or dered the state to start one or be held in contempt of court. Thus, Senate Bill 245 was en acted to give the Texas State Department of Corrections au thority to begin the program in January 1988. To comply with the order, the Department of Corrections quickly gave Capt. J.J. Pitze- ruse, a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist, the re sponsibility of organizing a boot camp. “They called me in on a Wednesday, and told me to form a camp by the next Mon day,” Pitzeruse said. Given control of the situa tion, Pitzeruse quickly ' re cruited 40 prison guards for the Goree Boot Camp. No ex tra money was given to him, so Pitzeruse had to figure out how to recruit experienced guards for the new positions. “I spent a $1.50’s worth of cloth, and used them as lead ership bands, I allowed them to buy military style boots and I let the platoon leaders buy campaign hats,” Pitzeruse, the camp director, said. Not everyone is sent to the boot camp. Prospective! mates must first meet ceite physical and mental reqc ments. They must be male, 1 years of age, be abletojs form strenuous physical; ity, and have no prior ipra: ations in a penitential) felony conviction. Inmates assigned to the bo. camp are, in effect, gi second chance to stay prison. The 90 daysof!)(i| camp arc a way of reduci | their regular sentences ii serving probation for the it mainder of the time. However, if the inni wash out of boot camp,' will be sent back tothejiifc The judge can then ree the original sentence orii the prisoner complete tl inal sentence at a regular pet tentiary. After completing 75 day: the boot camp, an evali of each prisoner is sent! judge who imposed these tence. At this time, thejoJi can suspend further ex of the sentence and placet’ inmate on probation. See Boot Campfe] Sil Above: Inmates must stand at attention before being allowed to eat. Left: A prison guard calls out the cadence for inmates to follow. - i—..
