Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Grits for Breakfast

Criminal Law

: Grits for Breakfast

TDCJ officer lobby day pushed for pay hikes

Yesterday the Texas capitol was filled with grey-uniformed Texas prison guards there for a lobby day sponsored by AFSCME advocating for the 20% raise proposed by the Department of Criminal Justice. See coverage from the Austin Statesman. I chatted with several guards making the rounds who thought the event went well and everyone said they were well-received, but there's a long way to go before we'll know if their raises will make it into the budget.TDCJ needs the improved pay package to fill more than 2,000 empty guard slots and improve its abysmal officer retention rates. The Senate may still include the raise in its budget, but in the House it's been put on their "wish list."As far as I'm concerned, Texas either needs to spend what it takes to adequately staff its prisons or incarcerate fewer people...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on March 13, 2009 (boomark / email).