State & Local
Page 2
The Battalion
Tuesday, April 7,1
Board to vote on inmate releases
Prison officials contemplate relief for overcrowding in jails
AUSTIN (AP) — Texas prison officials are
scheduled to decide Friday whether to use a
state law to allow the early release of about
2,900 inmates over the next two months.
The decision, contemplated to help relieve
county jails with a backlog of about 14,000 in
mates sentenced to state prison, was post
poned in March.
Chairman Selden Hale of the Texas Board
of Criminal Justice said then that the delay was
needed because of "hysteria” over reports
about the release of offenders.
But this month may be no better.
Hale, of Amarillo, told the Austin Ameri-
can-Statesman that political pressures could
make board members vote against invoking
the Prison Management Act.
The act is meant to avoid a shutdown of
state prisons, triggered when the inmate popu
lation exceeds a court-established limit of 95
percent of capacity.
At that point, prison officials inform the at
torney general that they no longer can accept
inmates from county jails. The prison popula
tion last week was at 94.4 percent of capacity.
The act allows the criminal justice board to
selectively release inmates, choosing non-vio
lent prisoners first and ensuring that they are
supervised by parole officers after release.
Their departure makes room for violent con
victs backlogged in county jails.
Inmates convicted of certain violent or
drug-related crimes aren't eligible for release
under the act. Neither are inmates whose sen
tences are longer than 10 years, or who have
exhibited violent behavior while behind bars.
Parole officials also are prohibited from ap
proving any inmate deemed a likely threat to
public safety.
"We discussed previously, if they were to
invoke the act, that it did not by any means
mean wholesale releases," Gov. Ann Richards
said Monday. "It did not mean bringing so
many people out into the community that they
could not be absorbed. It meant an opportunity
for a systematic release."
Richards said she didn't know whether the
board would invoke the Prison Management
Act. But she added, "Frankly, if they do, it will
be in a well-managed fashion."
But a number of people are worried that
those released will just violate the law again.
"The Prison Management Act should be re
pealed. If they're only releasing non-violent of
fenders, why is it that people who have only
been out of jail three days commit heinous
crimes?" asked Richard Collins, spokesman for
Associated Texans Against Crime.
Prison board members stress that all the in
mates who would be released early already
have been approved for parole.
"All we're doing is advancing that parole
date, in some cases by weeks and in some cases
by months," Hale said.
There are 48,377 state inmates in prison, in
addition to those in county jails awaiting trans
fer.
In the past seven months, the state has re
leased an average of 588 inmates a week. To
keep up with the prisoners coming from coun
ty jails, it would need to release 750 a week.
Looking ahead to Friday's meeting. Hale
sighs.
"I'm like the messenger coming to report to
the king about the battle being lost," he said. "I
don't have any good answers. All my replies
are bad."
But a number of people are worried that
those released will just violate the law again.
"The Prison Management Act should be re
pealed. If they're only releasing non-violent of
fenders, why is it that people who have only
been out of jail three days commit heinous
crimes?" asked Richard Collins, spokesman for
Associated Texans Against Crime.
Prison board members stress that all the in
mates who would be released early already
have been approved for parole.
"All we're doing is advancing that parole
date, in some cases by weeks and in some cases
by months," Hale said.
There are 48,377 state inmates in prison, in
addition to those in county jails awaiting trans
fer.
In the past seven months, the state has re
leased an average of 588 inmates a week.
Deadline
for students
to Q-drop
is today
Today is the last day for
graduate and undergraduate
students to drop courses
with no penalty and receive a
Q grade on their transcripts
(Q-drop). Colleges have lim
its on the number of Q-drops
students can have during
their academic career.
For more information on
Q-drop limits and proce
dures contact your advisor or
your department office.
Republicans consider return
of Nixon at GOP convention
HOUSTON (AP) — Republican National Conven
tion planners say it may be time to bring back the
charisma of former President Richard Nixon at this
summer's nominating party at the Astrodome.
"He's a very wise elder statesman," Bush cam
paign chairman Robert Mosbach-
er Sr. said. "I don't think of him
as a liability."
Nixon, 79, became the first
president in U.S. history to resign
in 1974 in the wake of the Water
gate scandal.
He has been absent from the
convention ■S’cene since- T97-2
when he was nominated for a
second term.
But Maida Pearson and other
Republican officials say the
wounds have healed and it's time
to recognize Nixon for his accom
plishments and not for the break-in that led to the
downfall of an administration.
"I have every hope that he will be there (in Hous
ton)," Pearson, vice-chairwoman of the GOP Com
mittee on Arrangements, told The Houston Post.
The committee is the wing of the Republican Na
tional Convention overseeing plans for the Aug. 17-
20 convention at the Astrodome.
"I'm 100 percent for it (inviting Nixon)," Jean Sul-
Nixon
livan, an RNC member from Alabama, said.
"I think he's coming out of retirement more and
more all the time. And I'm glad to see it. I loved the
man. I wept two days when he resigned."
Analysts say it's a politically sticky situation for
Bush, who owes a great deal of his political career to
Nixon, who kicked off Bush's successful run for a
Houston congressional set in 1966. And Nixon
named Bush U.S. representative to the United Na
tions and then chairman of the RNC.
While former presidents Ronald Reagan and Ger
ald Ford each could be considered as a keynote con
vention speaker. Rice University political scientist
Bob Stein said he would be surprised if Nixon were
invited.
"It's hard to imagine that you're going to see
much of Richard Nixon in very visible way," Stein
said. "I'd find he's still a liability and more so if
there's a close election."
Francis Loewenheim, a Rice historian, agreed,
saying injecting Watergate memories could be detri
mental to the party.
"What would happen is they (the media) would
start playing tapes of the hearings and of his resigna
tion speech," Loewenheim said.
"I think they're going to be very cautious about
anything that will add controversy and add the
memory of how the part got into a perilous posi
tion," he said.
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PRESENTS
WARREN BEATTY - ANNETTE BENING
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Memorial Student Center
Main Ballroom
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freshmen scrub down Sul Ross on Friday morning.
Crime Stoppers
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On Friday, March 13 at 6:20
a.m. a female student was
sleeping on one of the couches
in the St. Mary’s student center
on the corner of Church and
Nagle Streets in College Sta
tion. The student was startled
awake when an attacker came
from behind her, grabbed her
around the neck, held a knife to
her throat, then pulled her blan
ket over her head.
The victim states that she
briefly struggled with her as
sailant until he threatened to kill
her, then he ordered her to dis
robe, and assaulted her. After
the assault, the assailant forced
her into a restroom and then
fled from the building.
Because the victim was star
tled by the sudden attack and
had her face covered througtr
out the ordeal, she could onli
describe her attacker as a blaci
male. College Station Police
Detectives believe the suspect
may live or work in the neigh
borhood of the Studen/CMfr
and was probably walking
through the area at the toe.
The College Station Police
Department and Crime Stop
pers need your help to identify
the person responsible for this
sexual assault. If you have in
formation, call Crime Stoppers
at 775-TIPS.
Crime Stoppers also pays
cash for information on any
felony crime or the location of
any fugitive. Call Brazos Coun
ty Crime Stoppers today at 775-
TIPS.
Free Spring Allergy
Skin Testing
Ages 18 and older
Individuals with spring allergy symptoms to screen for
upcoming research studies.
Impetigo Study
Individuals of any age with symptoms of impetigo (bacterial
infection of the skin) to partidpate in an investigational drug
research study using a cream with drug in it. $150 for those
chosen and completing the study.
3
%
Tension Headache?
Individuals with moderate to severe Tension Headaches wanted
to participate in a 4-hour headache relief research study with
an investigational medication in tablet form. Flexible hours.
$75 incentive for individuals who are chosen and complete |
the study. Daily, till 6:30 776-0400.
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Asthma Study
WANTED: Individuals, age 12-65, with mild to moderate
asthma to participate in a clinical research study for 6 weeks
with an investigational medication in inhaler form. Individuals
must be using inhaled steroids and bronchodilators daily to
qualify. $400 incentive paid to those completing the study.
%
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Skin Infection Study
Individuals age 13 and older wanted to participate in a research
study for bacterial skin infections such as: infected wounds,infected
burns, boils, infected hair follicles, impetigo, infected ingrown
toenails and others. Investigational oral antibiotic in capsule form.
$100 incentive for those chosen who complete the study.
1
For more information call:
BIOPHARMA, INC.
776-0400
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