The Quota System
By Jay Goodman
Now that I've taken my readers all the way through the 2000s showing the corruption and abuses in the Texas prison system, I want to turn our attention to how the Puppetmasters always seem to come up with new forms of punishment. I'd also like to show you how, once again, they have been exposed in the midst of their corrupt, brutal, Gestapo-like tactics. As I begin, I want to say that I'm anxious to see what, if anything, will truly be done to stop the behavior I'm going to talk about.
The Texas prison system came up with this new idea to basically screw over the inmates no matter how good the prisoners are doing in confinement. They call it the 'quota system', and it involves administrators and ranking officers forcing the guards to write at least two disciplinary cases each shift they work. A few weeks ago, four guards were caught planting evidence in an inmate's cell on the Ramsey Unit. We heard through 'inmate.com' that the supposed evidence was shanks. This sparked a separate investigation and resulted in the firing of these four prison guards. Also, a major resigned, and now, Warden Virgil McMullen, who ran the facility in Rosharon, has been demoted and moved to the Johnson Unit, more than 200 miles away in northeast Texas.
I have this article about the incident, and it says, 'Texas prisons are also moving ahead with efforts to reform the disciplinary system and prevent similar incidents in the future. The agency is reviewing all disciplinary training and considering new statewide training for all those involved in the disciplinary process.' (TDCJ spokesman Jeremy Desel; Blakinger, Keri; The Houston Chronicle; 6/19/2018.)
I keep relishing the fact that as these articles that you have been reading by my friends and I make these allegations (I'll call them allegations even though their basis in fact is well-known to any TDCJ prisoner), all of a sudden, an article in the newspaper or some report on TV will come along and verify everything we're telling you. Now speaking of my past articles, if you've read all of them, you'll know by now that when the TDCJ uses a word like 'considering', that means their not serious at all about making any real change. It just means that they are not going to do anything at all except issue a statement. So, let's take a look at more of their statement.
The TDCJ is 'working to make changes to policy to include explicit language that forbids any type of quota system or mandated case writing activity. This will make it crystal clear to all that nothing even resembling mandated disciplinary activity will be tolerated. The problem all started earlier this year when the Chronicle obtained leaked copies of an email from Captain Reginald Gilbert, who ordered officers to write up prisoners or face disciplinary consequences themselves. "Effective March 10, 2018 each sergeant will be required to turn in at least 2 cases for a Level 2 Code 35 'Unauthorized Storage of Property.''
This Code 35 could mean a prisoner might have left a book out on his bed or a pencil on the table in the cell. Yes, just a simple mistake like that is going to cost that inmate 20 to 30 days locked in his 120-degree cell with no commissary or rec. Moreover, he could also lose visitation priveleges, the use of his personal property, and even good time - all for something so small. Worse, now the guards have been co-opted into doing dirt themselves. To keep up with the quota, they will start planting evidence in inmates cells.
Anyway, the captain's email also said,'Two each day is my requirement. Remember this is to be done each workday without exception. A couple hours later, then-Major Juan Jackson responded, noting that the "below instructions will help greatly in fighting a 'gig'", which is slang for an audit. '
You can see the quota system is put in place to make the big dogs like this captain and his superiors look good, but the gravy bonus is that they can now screw over guards and inmates that they don't like. In fact, it's happened right here on the Stevenson Unit, too, ever since the day I got here, and it continues today.
The article continues, 'After receiving an anonymous copy of the messages, the Chronicle put in a records request on April 21. Four days later, McMullen fired off an email to ranking officials at the unit. "This email is to reiterate the email I had Captain Gilbert send out on April 6, 2018. We DO NOT and WILL NOT have case quotas on Ramsey Unit. (Emphasis in original.) Make sure any and all previous emails regarding case quotas are not being followed. We will follow agency policy.'' Obviously, that email was a CYA to try and deflect blame in the matter, but the fact remains that the quota system has been in effect at every prison I've stayed at in Texas, and it's going on right now.
'Once the Chronicle reported on it, the quota system sparked a statewide audit, which found similar shortlived systems in place at three other units: Lychner State Jailin Harris County, Travis County State Jail in Austin, and the McConnell Unit in Bee County.' But you can believe this, its happened at all 112 prisons. It's also interesting to note that McConnell was one of the specifically cited units where this activity occurred, and when our then-Major, Evelyn Castro, left here around 2011, she went to the McConnell 'As of now, more than 500 inmates' disciplinary cases were tossed out and a number of ranking officers demoted. The officers involved could still face criminal charges, officials said.' If any of these people ever face criminal charges, I'll eat my hat. After all, Warden Beard stole practically a Walmart full of food right under their noses, and they gave him a retirement party with full benefits!
You all remember the captain on the Estelle Unit who beat a blind man severely just for bumping into him. Well, the TDCJ at first tried moving this man to a unit just down the street as 'punishment', but they were just waiting until everything died down. And you can bet Junior's college savings that if the Chronicle wouldn't have gotten hold of these emails, not one damn thing would have ever happened to these corrupt prison officials.
The Puppetmasters will not stop this type of behavior. I have written until my hand is numb about the TDCJ using these types of tactics, and here we are in 2018, and they are still stealing, abusing, manipulating, and running their gigantic criminal organization, just like they always have in the past.
Imagine how many prisoners have had drugs, shanks, or other forms of contraband planted on them or in their cells. These people were completely innocent. How many of these inmates never made parole because of these corrupt officials? In this article, you can read for yourself how the special audit caught 500 cases that were thrown out. But believe me, if they do a truthful audit and comb through all 112 prisons, they'll uncover thousands, and maybe tens of thousands of these cases that are bogus. The Puppetmasters have instituted this quota system at all the prisons in Texas in order to show the prisoners that they can basically do anything they want to us. So if an inmate starts complaining how they're not being fed like the menu says we should be, or accuse a guard of becoming abusive, these officers will start searching your cell each day, and all of a sudden,'Looky what we have here! Look at these drugs. Look at this shank. My, my, my, but that is a murderous weapon right there. That's worth at least 25 to life, wouldn't you say, Vern?' Or, if they only find small stuff, the guards will start writing these Code 35 cases on you, and when you get three of them in a row, BOOM! It goes major, and you're fucked. For instance, let's say Offender Goodman here left a book out on his bed. He gets the 10-10-10. Next day, they come back, and, WHOOPS! You have a pen on your desk. This time you get 15-15-15, and they take my personal property for the duration of the punishment. No night light. No radio, and no food. The next time, I'm G-4'd and go to medium custody, and they don't have to worry about me anymore because I'm locked away in seg. And all this happens even though Texas law says thatif a prisoner files a grievance, the prison is forbidden to retaliate in any way whatsoever. But those who speak out get bogus cases, set-offs from parole, and mistreatment from the officers - not because the inmate is doing anything wrong, but because he is speaking out for just and humane treatment.
The article also states, 'Even as authorities continue probing the evidence-planting allegations, prison officials are taking a closer look at the inmate disciplinary process. Aside from increasing training and looking again at department policies, TDCJ leadership is also examining the system for defending inmates accused of disciplinary infractions.' To me, this was all said to pacify everyone that was shocked or upset that something like this was happening in the Texas prisons. I believe this because this type of behavior has gone on for years and years. So, as I read that the TDCJ is 'examining' the disciplinary process, I bust out laughing, for this has certainly been a problem at every unit at one time or another. The Puppetmasters put it in place, you see. If it only went on at one or two units, I'd say, 'All right, let's take a look at the warden or the unit's officials.' But since this has gone on at all the prisons in Texas, you know it came down from leadership. Of course, they have to backtrack now, so they can appease the angry mob, but when all the hubbub dies down, it will be back to business as usual.
As I keep saying, the Texas prison system is nothing more than a criminal organization that's been allowed to operate under the name of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. You would think it would absolutely infuriate our state's elected officials, but it doesn't, so the logical conclusion is that they must be part of the criminal empire. Of course, they will say, 'That's ridiculous.' I'll respond, 'Then why have you left all these corrupt officials in their posts or just shuffled them around a little when it's been obvious for decades they do not care about anything except stealing, abusing, and manipulating?'
If you don't believe me, take a look at what the TDCJ did when all this quota business came to light. The major, who, by the way, is second-in-command after the warden, is also responsible for all security all the unit. The TDCJ allowed this man, who 'might face criminal charges', to go ahead and retire with all his pay. The warden, Virgil McMullen, is demoted and moved to another prison. They treat the major just like they treated ex-Warden Beard, a larcenist - the let him walk right out the door like he's had a distinguished career of quality service. They treat this Warden McMullen the same way they treated the captain who committed aggravated assault on a blind old man - they shuffle him around a little bit anticipating the day the heat will die down enough to put him back in his old job to resume his old ways.
These officials know they can do anything they want without any worries whatsoever that they will be jailed or even fired. Don't think so? Well, why don't YOU try stealing thousands of dollars worth of resources from YOUR employer and see what happens to you? These men were part of a conspiracy to set up prisoners with MURDER WEAPONS, but the state allows one to retire and one to mover around with a demotion. Is it any wonder the Texas prison system is filled with corruption? It's run by criminals!
