What is the history of the prison system in Texas?
• The first prison in Texas was built in Huntsville in 1849. • From 1870 to 1883, the entire prison system was leased to private contractors, who used the inmates for labor. • From 1883, inmates were leased to the railroads, planters, and others who provided food and shelter in exchange for labor. • These leasing arrangements were abolished in 1910. • Conditions in Texas prisons remained brutal and oppressive until reforms in the 1970s and 1980s required the state to eliminate overcrowding. II. What are the important issues and trends regarding the incarceration of criminals in Texas? • Texas has the second highest rate of incarceration in the nation.. • In addition, Texas has adopted tougher sentencing for repeat offenders. • As Texas imprisons more persons, the cost of building and maintaining prisons has also increased.
