Forensics Focus on Prison Crime

An investigator for the Office of Inspector General tests clothes for biological materials.

To aid in solving crimes that occur in Texas prisons, investigators for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice recently attended crime scene investigation training on biological evidence, photography, fingerprinting and explosives at Sam Houston State University.

Survey Shows Limited Use of Sex Offender Registry

Texas has the second largest sex offender registry in the country, but relatively few people are accessing it or using it to develop protective actions against future sex crimes, a study by the Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University found.

Taking the Leap from TDCJ to DPS

Texas State Trooper Erik Burse.

After 17 years with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Major Erik Burse was assigned to give a tour of the Coffield Unit to members of the Department of Public Safety. As he turned the corner to greet his guests, he was awestruck by the 20 to 30 polished troopers that stood before him.

CMIT Drugs Impact Conference Line-Up Coming Together!

The Drugs Impact Conference offers attendees a plethora of drug related topics, conversation and interests that are bound to satisfy everyone’s unique needs and challenges regardless of the field, profession or duty. This year’s conference will offer

Three speakers for the opening session; a State District Court Judge, a Writer/Ph.D. Student and ex-gang member that will provide a presentation based on their first-hand experiences and knowledge and a Senior Member from the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Break-out sessions will consist of speakers from the Department of Public Safety, Huntsville and Bryan Texas Police Departments, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Narcotics Anonymous, the King Ranch, and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. Attendees that attend the entire conference are eligible to receive up to 20 credit hours through CJAD, TCLEOSE, TJJD or LCDC.

The conference is scheduled for July 29-August 1, 2013.  You can get more details and register HERE!

CMIT Senior Level Leadership Development Program gets New Look

The Senior Level Leadership Development Program is based on a collaborative effort with Sam Houston State University, Sonoma State University, the Vera Institute of Justice, and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas. The program is sculpted to capture and present significant insight and knowledge into the understanding, recognition, and impact of senior level decision making with an emphasis on applying Strategic/Critical based thinking with a core focus on a fundamental platform of principles. A truly important and often discounted or ignored aspect of senior level development is the economic side or financial purse associated with decision making. Although most of the program is not a “finance class” it will introduce senior level leadership to the understanding and application value of Cost Benefit Analysis and why potentially the upward mobility opportunity of senior level leadership can hinge on it.

The week long training program is truly unique and different from any other senior leadership development program currently being offered. 

The program has been limited to 24 nominated participants from Adult and Juvenile Probation Departments, Sheriff’s Departments/County Jails, Adult Parole and State Adult and Juvenile Prisons from around the state of Texas. The selected participants are all currently in a Senior Level Leadership position or leadership that has the potential to be promoted into a Senior Level Leadership role.

All of the nominees were endorsed by their Directors, Sheriffs or Chiefs with no intentions of retiring from their agency within the next two years.

 

Our next program is scheduled for August 25-30, 2013.  Nominations will be acception through Friday, June 28, 2013.

 

The next two programs are scheduled for February 23-28, 2014 and Juny 13-18, 2014.

Climbing the Ladder at TDCJ

Capt. Timothy Fitzpatrick of the Polunsky Unit and Assistant Director Jennifer Robinson of the Huntsville Placement and Release Unit would like to grow their careers at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to help their employees as well as the offenders under their supervision.

TDCJ Participates in Active Shooter Training

A drill helped law enforcement prepare for an active shooter on campus.

In the quiet days between semesters at Sam Houston State University, the third floor of Smith-Hutson Hall erupted with shouts and the sounds of gunfire.

But this was not the latest in a series of mass attacks plaguing college or school campuses across the country. It was an Active Shooter Training exercise by law enforcement agencies in Walker County to help prepare officers to respond to a disaster. The mock scenarios, which included simunitions and blank guns, were tested in college setting in classrooms and a residence hall.