Pubdate: Sun, 20 Jul 2003
Source: Plainview Daily Herald (TX)
Copyright: 2003 Plainview Daily Herald
Contact:  http://plainviewonthe.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/864
Author: Danny Andrews
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

MOTORISTS GET VIEW OF NAKED INMATES

Inmates being strip-searched at the prison complex east of Plainview
apparently could be seen by the public, at least briefly, Friday 
morning.

A 30-year-old mother of two daughters, ages 10 and 5, called The
Herald to complain about seeing three prisoners "butt nekkid" as she
drove past the prisons about 11:15 a.m.

"My oldest daughter said, `Oh my gosh, look at those naked guys' "
the woman reported. "They were near the parking lot area. It was hot
and they were out there for everybody and God to see. It seemed like
unusual punishment to me. I think they could take them somewhere else
to do their strip search," the caller said.

"There was a car and tractor behind me and a car and truck in front of
me so I suppose other people may have seen the same thing," the caller
said. "If I look at a naked man, I want it to be of my own accord.

Assistant Warden Stan Kenney, who checked out the complaint after the
woman called the prison, said a routine strip search procedure for new
inmates near the back gate area was visible to the public "because a
section of a partition had dropped."

He said the partition was put back up.

Warden J.V. Young said the strip searches are done after prisoners
have been on work details or are new to a unit "to protect staff and
other offenders because sometimes prisoners bring in contraband or
drugs. The strip searches are not designed as punishment. We try to be
sensitive to the public but it may also send a message that people can
lose their privacy (if they run afoul of the law). It's the nature
of the beast in the prison system."

On a related note, Kenney said the Wheeler unit expects to return to a
full population of 500 by the end of the first week of August.

State budget cuts resulted in Wheeler being changed from a drug rehab
unit to a regular state jail facility, effective June 1. Offenders at
Wheeler were transferred to other units that handle drug rehab, or
released if their time had been served.

Kenney said prisoners who have proved themselves by their good prior
conduct are being screened at the Formby Unit, which houses 1,030 at
maximum capacity, and transferred to Wheeler.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin