DC officials neertain now Ion 4 0 114 0 - * 4 inmates to remain under canvas * t ' r • By.• !UCH ARD VARA Post lteporter '141/NtSVILLE The first prison in- nia.tesiyere scheduled to move into tents Frida:y,.. and Texas Department of Cor- rections officials, who conducted an in- spèdlón for the press at Diagnostic Unit Thursday, said it is uncertain how long the will be housed there. (1/e won't stay in tents any longer thaqwe have to," said Eugene Shepard, assistant director for construction. "But I cVt. say how long the tents will be used at all." • Richard Hartley, TDC Public Affairs Direttor, told reporters about 1,000 in- mates will be housed in tents at six priSin Units as part of a state effort to eliminate overcrowding in order to corn- ply , with a recent court order by U.S. DistOct Judge William Wayne Justice. • Giw.4Bill Clements proposed using ents as•part of a program to keep 3,100 wiseners from having to sleep on the loor and improve the chances of gaining i.sidy_pending appeal of /Judge Justice's. vder:',4* . 7 Shear& and .JOhn _ Pitinianc- -cons. true- utt•44•,"••*" tion supervisor, said each eight-man tent would not volunteer to move into a tent- will provide about 60 square feet of space "It'll be hot in the summer and cold in — or- • for each inmate along with a footlocker, the winter," said Pete Soliz of Abilene, for personal possessions. There will be a serving five years for aggravated as- dayroom tent and a lavatory tent and al sault. "It's no better than sleeping three portable toilet for each inmate, to a cell." The tents are simply constructed with Most of those who talked to reports plywood floors and sides, screened wall Said inmate opinion in other units was openings and tarpaulin roofs. running heavily against the tents. Tents will be constructed at Ellis, , But one other state prison system used Ferguson, Eastham, Darrington and Re- tents to house inmates and reported good trieve in addition to Diagnostic. results. Correctional officers and officials re- J.B. Godwin, superintendent of the fused to comment on the plan, but pri- Reception and Medical Center in Lake vately some TDC personnel remained. Butler, Fla., said about 300 inmates were skeptical about the wisdom of housing in- housed in teAts for three years in the mates in tents. early 1970s. Hartley declined to comment on how "We had no problems, but I wouldn't officers will maintain security for the, want to go back to that," Godwin said. tents, which are being erected within the "We were grasping for straws, but it fenced perimeter of the unit, wasn't as had as it sounded." , Inmates who were putting up the tents He said the tents were a last resort, at Diagnostic Thursday, also expressed but there were no security problems. The inmates resented it at first but , doubts and criticism of the plan. "It'll be easier than sleeping three men to a cell," said Thomas Mounts of Galveston, serving a 15-year sentence for' murder. But Mounts, like the other in-- mates interviewed Thursday, said he .49,1,4impor4t4 ' 7410:40041.7.6,0 • ',I.,' 4$4 i'.':::;..'-'. f - :*•.;'''.,k. - • N, .‘,..':.,4,..,,••ft,.4 -, .I.• . .. .2-.. :X.. ' 4•*-',W8-‹...;;:. :46..,..d.. later enjoyed living in tents, he said. . . . ..,.... stayed longer than three months in a l''.4:. Godwin pointed out that no inmate •.,.,,., Barbedwire,was added to fences near, tent. buildin gs' ataPignoOte•Un it - . ,...: ..• ,, , , ...,,.. - •: . . . • ., . . , . . , . . , . , ' - • , __Li.-.i./...i.i....,. house transient inmates primarily,_ 0 U _S7-0 V Ca 5 /191
