Before I begin, I would like to assure all readers that will NOT be subjecting anyone to yet another Dr. Seuss/Grinch parody anywhere within this posting.
Anyone visiting a DCJ inmate will probably walk past the rules and regulations regarding inmate visitation. They're always posted on a wall behind some stained plexiglass.
One rule states that visitors have to show up at least half an hour before visitation ends, since it takes a while to set the whole thing up. This includes DCJ/Dallas Sheriff Dept staph checking visitors' IDs to see if they have outstanding warrants. However, if you DO have an outstanding warrant, don't worry. They won't bother to arrest you, no matter how convenient you make it for them. (Will someone explain the logic behind this to me?)
Anyway, never mind about the warrants, it's the Grinchy attitude to holiday visitation that has me pissed off. After standing in line for two hours in wintry weather, I was told at 8:30 that no more visitors were being processed. In other words, fuck off.
Would it have really been a big deal to extend visitation another 20-30 minutes, so that the last 10-15 slobs could go in and wish their friend/husband/relative a Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad? Nothing exciting happens in DCJ after 9:00pm. No meals, medical visits, handing out of mail or anything else is scheduled.
Besides, several people next to me had driven up to 40 miles to visit. At least I didn't have to go nearly that far.
(Addendum: Just spoke to James via an overpriced collect call. Seems the prison staph were not too busy today to do all sorts of ridiculous shakedowns. This included taking anyone's extra blanket, even if the jail doctor - an extremely decent person - prescribed it. Yes, you must be prescribed an extra blanket. And as this week is Freeze The Inmate Week at DCJ, extra blankets are at a premium.)
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Three days in Tarrant Co. jail
This is an interesting article - although the Tarrant County folks haven't incurred the wrath of the Feds, they're still doing a pretty good job wasting taxpayer money.
Jailhouse Blues
Jailhouse Blues
Who benefits from Tarrant County’s flawed pre-trial release system?
Guilty until proven innocent
I have received a couple of anonymous e-mails that suggested that I'm a jerk for "taking up for criminals" and the like, and that anyone held in Dallas County Jail is there for a reason.
True, they're all there for a reason, but it isn't always because they're guilty of a crime.
Let me remind the anonymous e-mailers - aka wimps - that there are quite a few people in jail who are awaiting trial. They haven't been able to make bail for some reason or another. And a fairly large percentage of these inmates will either see the charges dropped, dismissed, or downgraded to a misdemeanor. Hands up, everyone who has NEVER committed a misdemeanor.
I rest my case. I still welcome all comments, but all of you who choose to do so anonymously, do yourself a favor and grow a spine.
True, they're all there for a reason, but it isn't always because they're guilty of a crime.
Let me remind the anonymous e-mailers - aka wimps - that there are quite a few people in jail who are awaiting trial. They haven't been able to make bail for some reason or another. And a fairly large percentage of these inmates will either see the charges dropped, dismissed, or downgraded to a misdemeanor. Hands up, everyone who has NEVER committed a misdemeanor.
I rest my case. I still welcome all comments, but all of you who choose to do so anonymously, do yourself a favor and grow a spine.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
More on the Parkland inmate saga
Following the other e-mails I received from the woman whose inmate/husband was taken to Parkland last Friday (see previous posts before the Keefe Commissary one), I received a third one this afternoon. She finally got a report on his condition a few hours before he was returned to jail, after a weekend wondering what the hell was going on.
Here's her latest e-mail, again censored to protect the innocent, semi-innocent and downright guilty:
"After calling Parkland over the weekend, who denied my husband was ever there (more about that later), I broke down and called June XXXXXX the care coordinator. It was a waste of time; again, I was told that since my husband hadn't signed a release of information, she couldn't tell me anything. If he were "critical", someone at Parkland would call me. This gave me visions of him on his deathbed with no priest.
I mentioned to her that someone who answered the main phone at the jail had suggested I go to Parkland in person and speak to the prison guard, and she got rather agitated. She wanted to know who had told me this, but I didn't have my notes with me. I have to write all this stuff down just to keep it straight. Nobody at the jail seems to agree on rules.
A couple of hours later I received a phone call from someone at the sheriff's office. I think her name was Vickie but I'm not sure. I had spoken to her a couple of months ago about XXXXX getting his medications, and I thought that's all she handled, but she also seems to know what goes when inmates go to Parkland.
Here's the real kicker: she told me all about XXXXX's stay in the hospital, which I appreciated - but didn't seem to know anything about a release of information.
Also, seems that the Parkland ER employees got chewed out for telling me that XXXXX was there when I called last Friday. He was even moved to another room for his safety, which I thought real funny. He's not charged with any violent crime, he's 5 foot 7, and he's pushing 60.
Monday night my husband called me from jail. Turns out the guards at Parkland are considerably nicer than most others. One went out and got him a McDonald's, and another brought in a DVD player and some movies to watch. They even all watched the Cowboys game together. And no guard bothered to chain him to the bed per DCJ rules. One commented "I think that IV and catheter's going to work better than any handcuffs".
So I think this is all at an end. I can only hope that your James doesn't get hauled around."
Here's her latest e-mail, again censored to protect the innocent, semi-innocent and downright guilty:
"After calling Parkland over the weekend, who denied my husband was ever there (more about that later), I broke down and called June XXXXXX the care coordinator. It was a waste of time; again, I was told that since my husband hadn't signed a release of information, she couldn't tell me anything. If he were "critical", someone at Parkland would call me. This gave me visions of him on his deathbed with no priest.
I mentioned to her that someone who answered the main phone at the jail had suggested I go to Parkland in person and speak to the prison guard, and she got rather agitated. She wanted to know who had told me this, but I didn't have my notes with me. I have to write all this stuff down just to keep it straight. Nobody at the jail seems to agree on rules.
A couple of hours later I received a phone call from someone at the sheriff's office. I think her name was Vickie but I'm not sure. I had spoken to her a couple of months ago about XXXXX getting his medications, and I thought that's all she handled, but she also seems to know what goes when inmates go to Parkland.
Here's the real kicker: she told me all about XXXXX's stay in the hospital, which I appreciated - but didn't seem to know anything about a release of information.
Also, seems that the Parkland ER employees got chewed out for telling me that XXXXX was there when I called last Friday. He was even moved to another room for his safety, which I thought real funny. He's not charged with any violent crime, he's 5 foot 7, and he's pushing 60.
Monday night my husband called me from jail. Turns out the guards at Parkland are considerably nicer than most others. One went out and got him a McDonald's, and another brought in a DVD player and some movies to watch. They even all watched the Cowboys game together. And no guard bothered to chain him to the bed per DCJ rules. One commented "I think that IV and catheter's going to work better than any handcuffs".
So I think this is all at an end. I can only hope that your James doesn't get hauled around."
Monday, December 10, 2007
How DCJ inmates get shafted when buying commissary items
Since James has to buy commissary items - usually when the served food is inedible, which is often - we soon figured out that the markup on these items was way over the top. I even heard some guards at Suzanne Kays talk about how bad the commissary markups were; one guard commented that the dry soup mixes cost about six times as much as he'd pay at Wal-Mart. These soup mixes are popular as, when a meal is served with mystery meat, the inmates often dump the meat, take the vegetables from the tray, and mix them with soup mix and hot water.
Curious to find out about the commissary supplier, Keefe, I recently happened upon a Web site called the Private Corrections institute.
As suspected, contracts are often awarded after a nice little kickback is arranged for the city/county officials who are in charge of awarding the contract. Here's an excerpt of the Keefe Commissary Network's "rap sheet":
In 2004, Keefe was found to have charged sales tax on some items that aren't taxable in Texas in connection with a Collin County jail commissary contract. As a result, almost 600 inmates were overcharged more than $5,000, records showed. Because of the error, the Collin County sheriff awarded the contract to a different firm.
Click here to read the Private Corrections Institute's rap sheet on Keefe.
Curious to find out about the commissary supplier, Keefe, I recently happened upon a Web site called the Private Corrections institute.
As suspected, contracts are often awarded after a nice little kickback is arranged for the city/county officials who are in charge of awarding the contract. Here's an excerpt of the Keefe Commissary Network's "rap sheet":
In 2004, Keefe was found to have charged sales tax on some items that aren't taxable in Texas in connection with a Collin County jail commissary contract. As a result, almost 600 inmates were overcharged more than $5,000, records showed. Because of the error, the Collin County sheriff awarded the contract to a different firm.
Click here to read the Private Corrections Institute's rap sheet on Keefe.
Inmate ill? Dead? Dying? Who knows?
I received another e-mail just a few minutes ago (Monday morning) from the woman whose husband was taken to Parkland Friday. See my previous, Dec 7 posting for details.
After three days, she still doesn't know where he is, or how is is. Here's her e-mail - husband's name has been deleted:
"I got a call from someone named Mr. Jones at Parkland Jail Health late Friday. He explained that my husband hadn't signed a release of information so he couldn't tell me much. This didn't make sense as when I called Parkland, they said that this release is one of the first documents a patient signs.
However, he did say that XXXXX was not acutely ill, as the Parkland care coordinator would have contacted me if he was. But then for all we know the Parkland care coordinator took the day off, or is simply overworked like the rest of us. We all know what Parkland is like and what the facilities have to cope with.
Calling that June person, the care coordinator, was another waste of time, but I did it anyway. At least I wasn't told "if I didn't like the way we're treating your husband, why don't you bail him?" like I was told a couple of months ago.
I put a call in to the attorney this morning. Hopefully he can find XXXXX."
Damn, I better tell James to fill in as many legal releases as he can get his hands on.
After three days, she still doesn't know where he is, or how is is. Here's her e-mail - husband's name has been deleted:
"I got a call from someone named Mr. Jones at Parkland Jail Health late Friday. He explained that my husband hadn't signed a release of information so he couldn't tell me much. This didn't make sense as when I called Parkland, they said that this release is one of the first documents a patient signs.
However, he did say that XXXXX was not acutely ill, as the Parkland care coordinator would have contacted me if he was. But then for all we know the Parkland care coordinator took the day off, or is simply overworked like the rest of us. We all know what Parkland is like and what the facilities have to cope with.
Calling that June person, the care coordinator, was another waste of time, but I did it anyway. At least I wasn't told "if I didn't like the way we're treating your husband, why don't you bail him?" like I was told a couple of months ago.
I put a call in to the attorney this morning. Hopefully he can find XXXXX."
Damn, I better tell James to fill in as many legal releases as he can get his hands on.
Friday, December 7, 2007
The laughable jail "care coordinator"
I was at Suzanne Kays earlier this week to visit James and ended up chatting with another bored person in the visitor's waiting line. I eventually mentioned this blog, and ended up giving her my e-mail address, telling her I would publish any account of problems she was having as long as she didn't mind me making her anonymous.
I heard from her today, and it was a real bummer. Seems her husband was taken from Suzanne Kays to Parkland's ER, and after nine hours of phone calls and a visit to Parkland, she is still completely ignorant of why her husband was taken to the ER. Or even when he was taken to the ER. The last time she spoke to him was last weekend.
Here is her e-mail - I have censored names to protect the innocent, and fixed some spelling errors.
I spent most of the day (Dec 7) trying to find out why my husband (I've changed his name to XXXXX) was taken to Parkland, and I still don't know. It all started this morning about 8:30, his attorney called and left a message that just said that he was at Parkland and to call him back. I called back but he was in court. Later he called me back but I was in a meeting at work.
So I started making phone calls to jail staff and Parkland to see if I could find out what was wrong, especially as XXXXX is a diabetic. If his blood sugar has crashed or he's gone into insulin shock he may not be able to talk straight to the doctors. Here's who I called:
First I called Parkland and asked to speak to Parkland Jail Health. Someone named Rhonda answered and said I should call someone named June, the Care Coordinator. (Note: I removed June's last name for what will soon be obvious reasons.)
I called June and got her voice mail, so I left a message for her to call me back. She never did.
I shoul mention here that my other conversations with this care coordinator June weren't any good. About two months ago, I called her to try and get my husband's medication sorted out, and she was real snippy. She even suggested that "if I didn't like the way he was treated in jail, I should just bail him". Then she hung up on me. If she'll loan me seven grand, sure I'll bail him, at the moment it's all I can do to pay the mortgage. XXXXX hasn't been tried or convicted of anything, but I guess it won't matter, we'll probably lose the house anyway.
I then decided to call Parkland again and asked for the ER. The ER nurse said that my husband was there, but she couldn't tell me anything else as he hadn't filled in a release of information.
So next I decided to call the Dallas County Jail main number which is (214) 761-9025. It's my understanding that this number only has one incoming line. Every time I called it, I had to wait 15-20 minutes for someone to pick it up.
After 18 minutes (I timed it), someone picked up the phone. I explained the situation and she suggested I go to the ER and ask to speak to the prison guard, as my husband would have been taken to Parkland by a prison guard. I got to Parkland, found the ER, but then nobody would tell me anything. Said he was an inmate (big surprise). Nobody knew anything about this "release of information" the ER nurse told me about earlier. So I don't know if my husband ever got the release, or even knew about it, or if he's so sick he can't fill it out.
I got back to work and decided to call Parkland Jail Health again at 214-712-3032 but they said that only the "care coordinator" could help me. I called her number several more times but she never answered. Maybe she recognized my number and just thinks I'm trying to make trouble.
I finally called the jail again, but nobody could help me. They just insisted that the care coordinator was the only person who could talk to me about XXXXX's condition.
It's 5:15pm and I still don't know if my husband is even dead or alive. I guess I'll go to the jail tonight at visiting hours. Maybe one of the guards will tell me what's going on.
I haven't much to add to this. It speaks for itself. I just dread to think that her husband is dying, or dead, and she is sitting there at home unaware of his condition. Why should anyone treat another human being so badly? She's not even the one in jail.
I heard from her today, and it was a real bummer. Seems her husband was taken from Suzanne Kays to Parkland's ER, and after nine hours of phone calls and a visit to Parkland, she is still completely ignorant of why her husband was taken to the ER. Or even when he was taken to the ER. The last time she spoke to him was last weekend.
Here is her e-mail - I have censored names to protect the innocent, and fixed some spelling errors.
I spent most of the day (Dec 7) trying to find out why my husband (I've changed his name to XXXXX) was taken to Parkland, and I still don't know. It all started this morning about 8:30, his attorney called and left a message that just said that he was at Parkland and to call him back. I called back but he was in court. Later he called me back but I was in a meeting at work.
So I started making phone calls to jail staff and Parkland to see if I could find out what was wrong, especially as XXXXX is a diabetic. If his blood sugar has crashed or he's gone into insulin shock he may not be able to talk straight to the doctors. Here's who I called:
First I called Parkland and asked to speak to Parkland Jail Health. Someone named Rhonda answered and said I should call someone named June, the Care Coordinator. (Note: I removed June's last name for what will soon be obvious reasons.)
I called June and got her voice mail, so I left a message for her to call me back. She never did.
I shoul mention here that my other conversations with this care coordinator June weren't any good. About two months ago, I called her to try and get my husband's medication sorted out, and she was real snippy. She even suggested that "if I didn't like the way he was treated in jail, I should just bail him". Then she hung up on me. If she'll loan me seven grand, sure I'll bail him, at the moment it's all I can do to pay the mortgage. XXXXX hasn't been tried or convicted of anything, but I guess it won't matter, we'll probably lose the house anyway.
I then decided to call Parkland again and asked for the ER. The ER nurse said that my husband was there, but she couldn't tell me anything else as he hadn't filled in a release of information.
So next I decided to call the Dallas County Jail main number which is (214) 761-9025. It's my understanding that this number only has one incoming line. Every time I called it, I had to wait 15-20 minutes for someone to pick it up.
After 18 minutes (I timed it), someone picked up the phone. I explained the situation and she suggested I go to the ER and ask to speak to the prison guard, as my husband would have been taken to Parkland by a prison guard. I got to Parkland, found the ER, but then nobody would tell me anything. Said he was an inmate (big surprise). Nobody knew anything about this "release of information" the ER nurse told me about earlier. So I don't know if my husband ever got the release, or even knew about it, or if he's so sick he can't fill it out.
I got back to work and decided to call Parkland Jail Health again at 214-712-3032 but they said that only the "care coordinator" could help me. I called her number several more times but she never answered. Maybe she recognized my number and just thinks I'm trying to make trouble.
I finally called the jail again, but nobody could help me. They just insisted that the care coordinator was the only person who could talk to me about XXXXX's condition.
It's 5:15pm and I still don't know if my husband is even dead or alive. I guess I'll go to the jail tonight at visiting hours. Maybe one of the guards will tell me what's going on.
I haven't much to add to this. It speaks for itself. I just dread to think that her husband is dying, or dead, and she is sitting there at home unaware of his condition. Why should anyone treat another human being so badly? She's not even the one in jail.
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