DannyBoyinExile

If I were to pick the biggest scam in all of TDCJ, it would have to be its good time and work time policy. Practically any adult in the United States (maybe even the whole world!) can tell you what good time and work time is, and would define it as a way for inmates to get out earlier, due to their good behavior or work assignments. What not as many of them could tell you, meanwhile, is that it is absolutely worthless in Texas.
Years ago, there was an inmate in TDCJ (or TDC, as it was called then) named David Ruiz, who filed lawsuits on just about anything he could think of. As a result, with the help of a judge named William Wayne Justice, he succeeded in bringing in the federal government to completely overhaul TDC.
Quite a few policies were abolished or enacted because of this, and one of the issues raised was their forcing us to work with no compensation. Subsequently, it was decreed that while we wouldn’t be PAID to work, we would still be COMPENSATED, in the form of work time credits. These, along with the accrued good time credits, would actually help us to be released sooner. So they did have value, even if we couldn’t exactly spend them.
A few years later, these good time and work time credits lost any value whatsoever. The Texas legislature decided to pass a bill, whereby they could STOP inmates from getting out sooner by such nefarious means as keeping out of trouble or holding down a job within TDCJ. They decreed that any of a certain class of offenses (which is expanded regularly) will be labelled as “3G”, and will NOT be released any earlier than by serving at least half of their entire sentences.
Let’s say, for example, you are serving a ten year sentence. To be eligible for parole, you must serve half of it, which is five years. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll make parole even then. If or when you do, you will serve the remainder of your sentence (however long that is) ON parole. So it doesn’t matter HOW much good time or work time you’ve accrued – it won’t do you a bit of good, or help you get out even a day earlier.
How could someone not feel cheated by that? That’s like giving you a coupon for a free hamburger at McDonald’s, then every McDonald’s you go to says they don’t accept those coupons! Except it’s worse in my case because I EARNED that coupon – but can’t use it. I have over twenty YEARS of good time and work time built up, but I may as well not have any at all.
I can’t imagine how much calmer TDCJ might be, if the good time and work time actually counted for something. Then the inmates would be going out of their way to stay out of trouble, because that trouble would actually be keeping them here longer. And they may even focus more on various classes to rehabilitate themselves – which would also help them get out sooner, via good time.
Regardless, I’m here, and it is what it is. I, for one, prefer to be busy and occupied instead of just sitting in the dayroom all day, hearing the same old lies, rumors, and TDCJ war stories. Every day I try to be a good person – and that includes being a good worker. It may not help me get out any sooner, but it just may help me STAY out, when I do get released. So says DannyBoy.