Michael G. Maness   

Michael G. Maness    ~   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
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Maness3@att.net

Patriot Page


 
Testamentum Imperium
International  Theological Journal

Lydia's Porch - Virginia Haynes

Woodville Lions Club 

How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011

Character Counts

Heart of Living God

Heaven - Treasures  

Ocean Devotions

Would You Lie to Save a Life?

Precious Heart - Broken Heart

Queen of Prison Ministry

Fringes of Freedom


 click below to see whole report   

TDCJ Deep State Report COVER
^  click above or below to see whole report  ^

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/TDCJ-OIG-2019.pdf

NEW ... Hinojosa Letter 1 to the RPD Director Rene Hinojosa & 50 Texas leaders seriously asking that "evidence-based" and "skilled professionals" mean in TDCJ and RPD, given the horrendous practices documented and it and the TBCJ's passivity. 

Updated with just released Addendum 16, the 2018 Dep. Dir. of Religious Services Interview Docs, the interview that did NOT take place ... the real value of Chaplaincy to TDCJ www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Interview-Docs.pdf

See Errata Page of Corrections and Refinements from version sent to 50 Texas leaders that includes the new Addendum 16.  

See 50 Texas Leaders and others of 2nd & 3rd send, including 10 U.S. District Judges. 

See Addendum 16, sent to 50 as supplement update of TDCJ Deep State Report, that oulines the infamy of Open Records documents that took an ENTIRE YEAR to receive from TDCJ's Office of General Counsel.

See proposed William Overton Codicil for legislators to add to the current Open Records law, so that it does not take a YEAR of fighting for SIMPLE clarifications.  TDCJ's Counsel violated the OR law several times, documented, and over the years sometimes only responded when an appeal was made to the Texas Attorney General's OR Enforcement Division.  

.

Many good men and women work in TDCJ, and I had the best job, loving and caring for inmates, staff, volunteers, and their families for 20 years.  However, there are a few outlaw administrators. 

What about two senior wardens and a regional director knowingly allowing life-sentenced murderers to violate serious security policies for yearsnot a day, a week, a monthbut for years?  Among 86,000-plus disciplinaries given to TDCJ employees over 10 years, what about those wardens and staff Chaplain David Collier being cleared from all disciplinaries for the introduction of contraband over the course of six long years?  All this and more are documented from Open Records releases.  The greatest still unsolved mystery is how Regional Director Michael Upshaw kept the TDCJ's Inspector General Bruce Toney from investigatingkept OIG collared like a dogfor his office did nothing!  Same thing for his successor, Chris Love, who oddlye was in the critical communication chain of the exposures of the 700-page Book of Secrets!

Another great and ominous mystery services.  How many other times did those wardens throughout their careers knowingly allow so many violations?  How many other times did OIG abstain from investigating clearly documented contraband introduction and clear violations of serious security policies for years?  How many?  Those three questions are most serious, and just the tip of the iceberg exposed in many documents.  Many other questions are asked, some as serious, for these reveal the Deep State like never before exposed.  Yet, the fact remains that not only have those been dodged, they have been covered up.

Several wish to make me a nemesis, but the reality is that those mentioned here and a few more are the true nemeses to TDCJ's policies and honor.  My fight has been to defend TDCJ's and Texas' policies and laws. 

Therefore, TDCJ Director Bryan Collier was either duped or a party to the longest cover up in TDCJ's history.  For the degree of contraband introduced and the clearing of so many from saerious disciplinaries at the Polunsky Unit alone casts a great fog over his credibility, ability, and his honor.  That is indisputable to any astute reader of the documents within and linked in The TDCJ Deep State Report. 

TDCJ and Collier did not like me documenting these and more for 20 years.  Documentedclearly and forcefullyand the Texas Board of Criminal Justice were sent many letters and copies of these two profusely documented books.

Why has this been allowed?  Who will discover how it has been allowed for so long?  I have sent All the Docs to Gov. Abbott and several District Judges now.  I am sad that I waited too long to go public, for I just trusted too longmuch too longfor there are many good people of honor in TDCJ.  It is for them, now, that this goes forth. 

My career was ended by a few evil people in TDCJ for blowing the whistle on crooked, unethical actions, and at the Polunsky Unit for serious violations of many security policies over years, endangering many staff and volunteers, from at least 2009 through 2019.

I became the victim of a few outlaws for reasons yet to be uncovered.  The worse was and remains that TDCJ's Bryan Collier and TBCJ's Dale Wainwright have covered up Polunsky for years.  And with that cover up, they are guilty of protecting the true violators of policy, supporting documented racist promotions, and, worse still, aiding and abetting an OIG that was clearly complicit in cover up.  That boggles the mind.  Worst of all, OIG failed to protect the innocent ... many times. 

It began for me after writing the Faith-Based Housing Letter, December 1, 2011, to Brad Livingston.  I doubt Livingston was a part of it, but those who disliked me going over them and writting to him came after me.  Within three months of that letter, three contrived disciplinaries hit me, forcing me into a dismissal hearing, which I beat, but the end was near.  Reg. Dir. Michael Upshaw had set me up through a falsely created disciplinary (documented).  I had written permission by the warden to take the photo of inmates putting together Christmas cards (as I had done for 20 years), and there was no policy against posting such on Facebook.  Upshaw sent a newly minted Asst. Warden to create a disciplinary (documented).  After 20 years, I forced to transfer to Polunsky, then I was forced to retire in 2012 from harrassment by then Warden Richard Alford.  Alford preferred to cover up dangerous daily violations in the Polunsky Twilight Zone chapel, mainly, life-sentenced murderers totally unsupervised in the dark with cameras, color laser printers, and high-end computers. 

For seven years I fought for my innocence and continued to expose one infamy after another, through 100s of open record requests, many letters, and two large books.  Documents show how I was set up for whistleblowing, and they show OIG silenced, impotent, even COLLARED, unable or unwilling to do a single thing throughout a long series of policy violations by many wardens for many years, even through 2019.  Worse, after expsoure, Upshaw ordered the cleaning of contraband at Polunsky in 2012, Upshaw cleared all involved from disciplinary, including wardens and majors, and then Bryan Collier supported the promotions of all involved quickly after.  Who cleans contraband?  Who then promotes such a cleaner?  See Mr. Clean clean well, then see him also clearing all of the violators ... amazing cover up of violations.  And Mr. Clean kept OIG's Bruce Toney and Cris Love on a collar throughout.

All the above is documented, a true and scary Deep State Report.  Uglier still, this was progressive, in that I dug and dug and dug, and continued to expose clear violations of policy in letters and emails from 2012 thru 2019.  All ignored. After finding out again that TDCJ hired a new chief of chaplains from the bottom of the applicant pool, Timothy Jones, who only has a High School education, it was time to report again.  TDCJ has done this many times in the past 20 years, and this time over two women with more experience and education.

This is very sad.  For Marvin Dunbar hoped to hide this, as he has many other contrivances.  Actually, an institution ought to be PROUD of its promotions.  But when this get out, as Mr. Jones is sitting around the table somewhere, and experts look at him--BLAME sad-sack Dunbar.  For when folks pull out their cell phones and read Jones' application, or any of these documents, they will wonder about Jones and the TDCJ that let Dunbar commit such an injustice to itself and the Chaplaincy Profession

Time to go public, and I apologize for waiting, trusting, too long.  TDCJ will do nothing without public ire, and TDCJ is bent on the distruction of the chaplaincy profession in Texas. 

So I unlocked many documents, including the heretofore locked massive 700-page Book of Secrets on the Longest Cover up in TDCJ History--Case of the Enchanting Chaplain (sent January 2014)

See Bryan Collier's letter 1-21-14 in response that said it "appears to have been submitted previously." There has never been a larger corpus of Open Record documents exposing damning unethical behavior within TDCJ in the agency's history, and all of it has been ignored by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. Not long after that, in February, in a response to an eamil, TBCJ Chairman Olive Bell had OIG investigate me for a terrorist threat for "writing books," and nothing on the Book of the Secrets.

That was 2014. Between then and 2019, I sent several more letters with more exposures of violations, including a clear racist hiring at the Goodman Unit, where a retired black Army combat veteran command chaplain was passed over for a career laundry man, Book of Secrets, Part Two (180 pages).  That was unpleasant to expose, so embarrassing, the many violations policy shameful, boggling the mind.  I sent expensive copies of that and more letters and emails.  Not one disciplinary. 

In the light of all of these, TDCJ just might as well do away with applications altogether.  For it is embarrassing to an agency to have available to the public the applications of those with so little education and experience HIRED over those with so little merit so very often ... for 20 years in chaplaincy.  And many times in other divisions.  If an applicant with fishing with an uncle of the interviewer, that is merit enough all too often. 

In January 2019, I sent the 1st Edition of the TDCJ Deep State Report to the primaries (Wainwright, Collier, et al).  It was hurried, in that it was partly meant to correct the hiring of the lowest qualified Deputy Director / Chief of Chaplains in TDCJ's history.  I waited six months.  Not surprisingly, I got no response.  In fact, I have gotten no response to anything, except that OIG investigated ME as an official "terrorist threat" suspect for writing "books," of which I was fully cleared, in part because I promised not to write anymore "books."  You will have to read about the Naked King there. 

As I said I would do, I revised, tightened, and added to the 2nd Edition, TDCJ Deep State Report--Case of the Collared Fox (2019)Clearly, it has gotten worse.  No one knows how OIG has been kept out of the Polunsky Twilight Zone for 10 years.  After 10 years of violations!  How did the regional directors and wardens COLLAR the OIG with such a tight choke chain?  What happened at Polunsky?  That the Polunsky chapel was allowed to run wild with so many violations for so long, even through 2019, is the greatest mystery that TDCJ and TBCJ refuse to solve.  That legislators refuse to solve.  But the violations leading to 2012 in the Book of Secrets is scary dangerous, where for six solid years life-sentenced murderers had free reign with digital cameras, high-end contraband computers, color laser printers, unlimited and untracked supply line, and with the wardens' knowledge TOTALLY unsupervised for six (6) years.

That was the Book of Secrets (2014), and Mr. Clean Upshaw cleaned the contraband and cleared all, much of that unsupervised life-sentenced murders continued through 2019!

The above books have been ignored now for seven years.  Therefore, I believe the TDCJ executive director, the TBCJ chairman, and entire TBCJ should be replaced.  And TDCJ's OIG dissolved into the Texas Rangers, for OIG was part of the cover up for years now.  And it appears Cris Love was promoted for that very reason, but I have not done any research there, only that he was in several documents on the way to the Deep State Report presented here in August 2019.  

I sent expensive copies of the TDCJ Deep State Report to 35+ Texas Leaders on August 27, 2019, and another set of 12 copies to more.  See the Cover Letter and List of All, from Gov. Abbott to the chief legislators and TBCJ chair and members.  See herein both the longest cover up in TDCJ history next to the still unsolved MYSTERY as to WHY Polunsky wardens and majors knowingly allowed so many violations for so many years.

The Deep State Report  W O R K  invloved 100s of Open Record documents, some going back 20 years.  See the applications linked.  See the many first-ever analyses, like the first-ever Polunsky Chapel official supply analysis in TDCJ history.  TDCJ has hired the lowest qualified of the applicant pool many times in the past, used racist hiring practiced, so clearly documented, the shameful antics make one's eyes bug out in awe that such would be allowed for so long.

What is the reason for staff attrition?  It is here, where dishonorable overseers promote favorites, sometimes promote idiots, weaponize disciplinaries, AND ... I kid you not, see it here, allow the CLEANING of contraband and CLEARING of violators.  All supported by TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier.

It is all here.  I pray it saves the chaplaincy profession, but it might be too late, given how long entrenched the few outlaws have reigned. 

We shall see. 

Summary of 20 years of research
TDCJ Deep State Report COVER
^  to see whole report  ^

Above followed the massive Book of Secrets
Book of Secrets
^click to see all 713 pages^

Ode to the Oddities
of Outing a few
Onery TDCJ Outlaws
v v v  click below  v v v

Ode to Oddities of Outing TDCJ Outlaws

Cover Letter to Collier
and 50+ Texas Leaders

v v v  click below  v v v
Cover Letter

Now 50+ Texas Leaders 1st Send

v v v  click below  v v v
Cover Letter LIST 35+

Letter 50+ Texas Leaders
with Addendum 16 ... and to
10 U.S. District Judges

v v v  click below  v v v
Big Send

Overton Codicil
^ Overton OR Codicil ^
When TDCJ's Counsel violates the OR law,
time to change the LAW



We should archive and study chaplaincy data and the religious volunteers facilitated in the
greatest source for change in human history
religion.

Ode to the Oddities of Outing a few Ornery TDCJ Outlaws

Ode to the Odd

^ click to see linked printable pdf ^

Deep State Report

^ click to see whole, searchable, linked pdf ^

Several More Documents TDCJ
Ignored for 10-20 Years

Published here for the first time over the Last 20 Years on the
Value of Religion, Volunteers, and Professional Chaplaincy  

several copied from the chaplaincy docs section at www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy

Applications for Critical Chaplaincy Positions

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Timothy-Jones-TDCJ-App-7-2018.pdf

     > www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Rel-Serv-Apps-ALL.pdf 

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Pierce-2000-TDCJ-Application.pdf

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Rutledge-TDCJ-Apps-Promotions.pdf  

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/08-Shawn-Wallace-TDCJ-Info-Officer-08-16-2013.MP3 – Critical Audio Recording

OIG "Terrorist Threat" Investigation on Maness for "Writing Books" ...

10-29-2012 Maness FAX to TDCJ Exec Dir & OIG on Polunsky Fiasco ...

... 

...   

TBCJ No Action on Public Comments in 12 Years & Word-frequency Analysis in 70 Minutes 2007-2019, chaplaincy nearly absent, and no action on any public statement, and more.  

TDCJ 10-Year Disciplinary Report 7-25-2003 to 7-25-2013 - first one published in TDCJ History on 86,775 disciplinaries - NOT a SINGLE disciplinary for a warden, Reg. Dir. Michael Upshaw, or Chaplain Collier for the multitude of violations everyday at the Polunsky Chapel for 6 years ... fairness flew the coup at Polunsky

Chaplain Equity TIMELINE April 2002 for Gary Johnson - a 100-page letter to Executive Director Gary Johnson in 2002, that four of us chaplains personally presented to Johnson that included many unethical business practices.  It contains much of the 2000 proposal, revised, and a critical TIMELINE of the unethical tweaking of the Chaplaincy Director's job description and much more.  A piece for the archives, if ever there was.  Pages 54-65 have timeline of unethical practices.

 

 

Maness' Faith-Based Housing Letter, December 1, 2011, including pastoral care and cost issues that needed addressed, and I blew the whistle lightly on unethical staff and a few buggy volunteer ministries given absurd favor. This letter to Brad Livingston cost me dearly and quickly, for within 3 months, I faced three disciplinaries, two so very sloppily contrived, with a mandatory dismissal hearing.  After 20 years of honored service.  More whistleblowing below, the likes of which boggle the mind, but I kept up documenting the violations.

 Alexander Volokh, "Do Faith-Based Prisons Work?" 63, No. 1 Alabama Law Review (2011), 43-95 - complementing the Faith-Based Housing Letter above in a superb way.

Roy L. Bergeron Jr., “Faith on the Farm: An Analysis of the Angola Prison’s Moral Rehabilitation Program Under the Establishment Clause,” Louisiana Law Review, 71, No. 4 (Summer 2011): 1220–57, showing the many conflicts with the establishment clause.

Douglas Roy, “Doin’ Time in God’s House: Why Faith-Based Rehabilitation Programs Violate the Establishment Clause,” 78, No. 3 Southern California Law Review (March 2005): 795–834, see also  https://SoutherCcaliforniaLawReview.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/78_795.pdf.  

Document Preface:  I won the dismissal after a fight, yet was forced to Polunsky, then the most policy-violating chaplaincy in TDCJ history.  All documented ... sadly, I trusted too many for too long, and saw an impotent OIG and cowardly wardens for something still a mystery--all documented now.  Also ... many other letters to Bryan Collier and TBCJ Chair Dale Wainwright, with more unique exposures of TDCJ violations followed those major works below--all to no avail, ah, I mean except for the one-sentence letter from Collier in 2012, not a single response to over 1,000 pages of documented malefeance--documented.  See the Book of Secrets Pt 1, Book of Secrets Pt 2, and the TDCJ Deep State Report below ... linked to another 1,000 pages in letters, charts, statistics, ad infinitum ... God Bless Texas ... and help TDCJ Chaplaincy ...  

100,000 Mothers' Parole Option - this was ongoing and played an unseen part, as a revolutionary way to improve prison effectiveness, reduce recidivism, and save Texas perhaps $100 million in the long run.  Totally ignored by legislators for 10+ years now, including the Texas House and Senate Corrections Committees, and the Honorable James White who promised early support, but was unable to get anything done on it.  This, I was told, played a part in the contrived disciplinary by a confidential source ... for shame, that 100,000 hours of in-prison state employee offender contact hours have ZERO impact on the decisions of parole-eligible offenders parole ... very sad, and a 20th century travesty of justice.  

TDCJ Deep State Report--Case of the Collared Fox - Revised 2nd Edition 2019, no response after six months, nothing done after 1st Edition in January 2019.  All unlocked.  Tells horrid story of cover up by wardens under a Regional Director cleaning contraband years in coming and clearing all of disciplinaries, then racist hiring, promotion of traitors, violators cleared, Polunsky chapel still violating policy to April 2019, and OIG prevented from investigations ... then continuing to hire the lowest qualified many times after 20 years of exposure--the end of professional chaplaincy!  If chaplaincy, seriously, how many other departments and divisions have hired the lowest qualified among applicant pool?  It has ... and will continue.  The TBCJ and Texas House and Senate Committees on Corrections are powerless to supervise.  Only by grace and statewide action were we able to save Chaplaincy in 2011.  TDCJ will try to kill it again--certainly!

Three Outstanding Open Record Requests - appealed to Texas AG, some over six months old--TDCJ really wants to keep the their Seminary Prisoner Field Minister Missionary Program TOP SECRET, and more.

NEW - 2018 Dep. Dir. of Religious Services Interview Docs just released after an entire YEAR fighting with TDCJ, and added to the Deep State Report in Addendum 16.  Believe it, see it, read it, and weep for Jerusalem and the TRUE value of Chaplaincy to TDCJ.  There was NO interview, and Marvin Dunbar did the absolutely LEAST possible in cancelling the interviews with more qualified applicants, and Dunbar led Rene Hinojosa to LIE on PERS 284, for NO ONE considered "all factors" at all.  www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Interview-Docs.pdf 
 

First Chapel Property Analysis in TDCJ History = 2015-2018 Polusnky Fiasco - no one knows what is going on there, now documented for 10 years!  Cover up continued and why they hired Timothy Jones as Deputy of Director of Religious Services, who was trained in TDCJ chaplaincy there.

Large Letter to ALL - Itemization 8-27-14 to Livingston, TBCJ Board, Gov. Perry, AG Abbott, House Corrections members, more, 16 pages, no lampoon, pleading for justice--no answer.

Book of Secrets, Pt. 2, 2007 Goodman Unit Hiring Fiasco - purely racist hiring of white TDCJ career laundry man over a retired Black combat veteran career Army Chaplainin, totally ignoring the military preference ... again ... and worse.   Not the first time.

Book of Secrets on the Longest Cover-up in TDCJ History--Case of Sherlock Holmes and the Enchanting Chaplain, January 2014 - 700+ pages, 147MBs, with photos and links to audios, all my set up, TDCJ falsifying disciplinaries, and the Polunsky fiasco, the most policy-violating chaplain in TDCJ, Regional Director cleaning contraband years in coming and clearing all of disciplinaries, life-sentenced murderers given high-end computers, cameras, and color laser printers TOTALLY UNSUPERVISED for years--documented, with warden's knowledge.  

How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011--the Immeasurable of Relgions, Volunteers, and Their Chaplains ... Forget not that Madeline Ortiz tried to kill chaplaincy in 2011 without a single cost analysis, ignoring data 10-years old showing how chaplaincy recovered its cost several times over--simply ignoring the value of religions--the Programs & Services Division regularly hiding chaplaincy statistics.... A long history of undervaluing the chaplaincy profession continues despite exposure of many violations of ethics and violations of TDCJ's good written policies. 

TBCJ Word-frequency Analysis of 12 years in 70 Minutes 2007-2019, chaplaincy nearly absent, and no action on any public statement, and more.  

TDCJ 10-Year Disciplinary Report 7-25-2003 to 7-25-2013 - first one published in TDCJ History on 86,775 disciplinaries - NOT a SINGLE disciplinary for a warden, Reg. Dir. Michael Upshaw, or Chaplain Collier for the multitude of violations everyday at the Polunsky Chapel for 6 years ... fairness flew the coup at Polunsky

Chaplain Equity TIMELINE April 2002 for Gary Johnson - a 100-page letter to Executive Director Gary Johnson in 2002, that four of us chaplains personally presented to Johnson that included many unethical business practices.  It contains much of the 2000 proposal, revised, and a critical TIMELINE of the unethical tweaking of the Chaplaincy Director's job description and much more.  A piece for the archives, if ever there was.  Pages 54-65 have timeline of unethical practices.   



TDCJ Prison Seminary Scam

......

Seminary Program Policy - outline of policy and agreement with SWBTS

Field Ministry Handbook - for the chaplains and indentured prisoners      

Field Minister Reports - OR Request and the reports by Seminary Field Ministers

United National Marriage Patterns 2000

Heart of Texas Foundation Incorporation Papers 

TDCJ-Seminary Memorandum of Understanding 2016 renewal of 2011 

TDCJ Field Minister Official Job Descriptions

Seminary / TDCJ Procedures 

TDCJ Sought No Opinion on Constitutionality of Seminary 

TDCJ Statistics for 12 Years ... or just the <Analysis Chart on 12 Years> 

Dan Patrick Donor Analysis - 01-2005 to 01-31-2021

More to come ... 

 

 

Baylor Study of Texas Prison Seminary:  Sung Joon Jang, Byron R. Johnson, Joshua Hays, Michael Hallett, and Grant Duwe, “Prisoners Helping Prisoners Change: A Study of Inmate Field Ministers Within Texas Prisons,” International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 64, No. 5 (April 2020): 470–497.

Baylor Study of Angola Seminiary:  Michael Hallett, Joshua Hays, Bryon Johnson, Sung Joon Jang, and Grant Duwe, The Angola Prison Seminary: Effects of Faith-Based Ministry on Identity Transformation, Desistance, and Rehabilitation (NY: Routledge, 2017; 248 pp.).

 

 


Killing Professional Chaplaincy Series

After dozens of letters, 100s of Open Record requests, three huge books documenting with zero response from major players, what is TDCJ Exec. Dir. Bryan Collier really covering up?

2001 – Chaplain Professional Equity and Market Study w Ethical Violations Timeline, www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy/01-Chaplain_Pt_2_Timeline_2001.pdf, with four TDCJ chaplains, I personally delivered this 100-page treatise to TDCJ Exec. Dir. Gary Johnson that documented many unethical business practices.  It had much of the 2000 Chaplain Professional Equity proposal we used in the 2001 Texas Legislature to gain our first pay raise in 40-plus years, yet with a critical timeline of unethical tweaking of the Chaplaincy Director's job to suit favored applicants, pages 54-65.

 2012 - Faith-Based Housing Letter, www.PreciousHeart.net/Maness-Faith-Based-Housing.pdf, heartfelt 50-page letter to Brad Livingston asking him to meet with a Barry Lynn of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State. It exposes several ethical violations and is the first exposure of the unconstitutional nature of the Seminary Scam. Soon after this, I was persecuted for whistleblowing and forced to retire.

 2013 - TDCJ Book of Secrets on the Longest Cover Up in TDCJ History: Case of the Enchanting Chaplain, 700 pp., 139 MBs, www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG XE "OIG" /Treason.pdf, first 100 pages documented how I was set up with falsified documents, then the rest details the vast policy violations at the Polunsky Unit and Michael Upshaw’s cleaning of contraband, clearing of violators, and more. Included were two CDs and a DVD with videos and dozen recorded interviews!  Hard copies to Livingston, OIG, and Texas AG.
See Bryan Collier's three-sentence reply here: Collier-01-21-14-Nothing.

 2015 – How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011—Immeasurable Value of Religion, Volunteers, and Their Chaplains, Forewords by Jerry A. Madden, senior fellow for Right on Crime and 2011 chairman of the Texas House Corrections Committee, and Carol S. Vance, former chairman of Texas Board of Criminal Justice and Harris County District Attorney (1966-79) (AuthorHouse, 2015; 394 pp.), www.preciousheart.net/Saved. We networked across Texas to stop the deletion of TDCJ Chaplaincy which was dead on arrival in the 2011 legislature. In a fight, we saved the entire budget. The appendices show Chaplaincy recovers its operating costs several times over and is the most productive program in RPD: “Chaplains facilitate the greatest source for change and solace in human history—Religion.”

 2017 - TDCJ Book of Secrets Part 2, Goodman Unit Hiring Scam, www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/GoodmanUnit2017.pdf, 180-pg, most detailed audit of a hiring package in TDCJ history showing multiple violations. A white warden hired a white career laundry man over black U.S. Army combat veteran career chaplain!

 2019 - TDCJ Deep State Report:  Case of the Collared Fox, www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/TDCJ-OIG-2019.pdf, 177-page
   - Cover Letters of 1st, 2nd, & 3rd sends to Bryan Collier & 50+ TX Leaders, Jurists, and District Attorneys, www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Big-50-Send.pdf 

 2020 – TDCJ’s Seminary Scam: Killing the Chaplaincy Profession and Mocking Freedom of Religion while Increasing Baptist Dominionism in Texas Prisons, documenting in a much more thorough manner the unconstitutional, unhealthy, and unethical nature of the scam first exposed in the 2012 Faith-Based Housing Letter and succeeding cover ups. 


Auxiliary Key Documents cited in Deep State Report, all unlocked now

TDCJ Deep State Report--Case of the Collared Fox (2019) www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/TDCJ-OIG-2019.pdf    

Book of Secrets on the Longest Cover Up in TDCJ History –Case of the Enchanting Chaplain   www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Treason.pdf ... 700 pgs, 140MBs, hard copies sent Jan. 2014 to TDCJ, OIG, Texas AG, w DVDs;  unlocked 8-1-2019

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Treason-Epilogue.pdf last section of Book of Secrets, Upshaw cleaning

www.PreciousHeart.net/Maness-Faith-Based-Housing.pdf – 50-pgs., Dec. 2011 – whistle blowing compare, really compare Alexander Volokh’s "Do Faith-Based Prisons Work?" 63:1 Alabama Law Review (2011), 43-95:  www.PreciousHeart.net/Volokh-Article.pdf ... both never consulted in TDCJ.

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Five-Letters-Polunsky.pdf critical 25-pg fax on 10-29-12 to TDCJ & OIG

Book of Secrets – Pt 2  www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/GoodmanUnit2017.pdf, 180-pg,– unlocked 8-1-19, where a clear racist hiring excluded a retired black combat veteran command chaplain to hire a career laundry man ... weep for Jerusalem.

www.PreciousHeart.net/Chaplaincy/01-Chaplain_Pt_1_Proposal_2000.pdf – Chaplain Professional Equity (CPE)

www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy/01-Chaplain_Pt_2_Timeline_2001.pdf – CPE with RPD hiring violations dating back 20 years!  

www.PrecioiusHeart.net/OIG/Polunsky-Chapel-Supplies-OR-2018.pdf6,500 roles toilet paper 4 yrs, Full of Feces and 54,000 computer copies totally unaccounted

www.PreciousHeart.net/Chaplaincy/FY2018.xlsxstatistics – see Addendum 12 for boat load more

www.PreciousHeart.net/Chaplaincy/FY2018-08-31-4thQ-Religion-of-Prisoners.xlsxstatistics

www.PreciousHeart.net/Chaplaincy/RPD-Quarterlies-2012-2013-2014-2015-All-21-Reports.pdfno statisticss

TDCJ Applications to Cry Over ... where the lowest was chosen too many times

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Timothy-Jones-TDCJ-App-7-2018.pdf

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Rel-Serv-Apps-ALL.pdf  2019-09-06 - finally, after a year of wrangling and an appeal to the Texas AG, I received the Deputy Director for Religious Services INTERVIEW documents.  And, seen the email response to William Overton, TDCJ asst. counsel, there was an interview prepped for August 10, 2018, but then cancelled;  that is, there was never even an interview with those with more qualification and experience.  Rene Hinojosa and Marvin Dunbar just chose Timothy Jones, because he was best suited to help cover up the Polunsky Twilight Zone chapel.  

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Pierce-2000-TDCJ-Application.pdf

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Rutledge-TDCJ-Apps-Promotions.pdf

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/08-Shawn-Wallace-TDCJ-Info-Officer-08-16-2013.MP3 – audio recording of Maness the TDCJ computer tech on Polunsky Twilight Zone - SHOCK why did TBCJ Chairman Oliver Bell meet with a Regional Director and Computer tech on a Polunsky Chapel cleaning of computers? Why did Chairman Bell prevent his OIG from investigating that? Why was then Exec. Dir. Brad Livingston and then Deputy Bryan Collier kept out of the loop of a clean up?

www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/OIG-Investigation-Finale.pdf – Aug. 15, 2017, 30-page letter on OIG investigation to Bryan Collier, Dale Wainwright, TDCJ’s counsel Sharon Howell. Why was my sending no more “books” a BIG issue and not the 700-page Book of Secrets?

        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 Gib Lewis State Prison Chaplaincy Department, 2011 - nice! 

 In 2007, helped return 25 TDCJ to State Budget - Letter from Rep. Jim McReynolds - He helped in a load of efforts over the years, a fine man.  

 Congress on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) Report 1992, sent to all TDCJ Chaplains in 1993 - sage advice still relevant - instead of caving, this advice was followed by one chaplain since 1993, and this page is the continued result of defending prison chaplaincy for 20 years.

       "The opposite of faith is not heresy but indifference." 

Elie Wiesel chairman of the President's Commission on the
Holocaust and helped plan the American memorial to the victims of the Holocaust;
see his
Report to the President on the President's Commission on the Holocaust (1979). 

       "Society wants men to be taught to use liberty wisely while deprived of it" (p. 11).  "I believe there is a treasure in the heart of every man if we can find it if we can help him find it.  I believe this is the true way to fight crime" (p. 229, the last two sentences). 

James V. Bennett, I Chose Prison (Alfred A. Knopf, 1970, 229p),
Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons 1937 to 1964, during the time of the
most substantial change in in-prison programming in the history of the world.

 


Faith Data on Texas Prison Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy Faith Percentages FY2010 - comprehensive look at the faith population in TDCJ for FY 2010 ...

Much more to come ...

Historic Documents Texas Prison Chaplaincy

Chaplain Professional Equity Proposal - 2000 ~ Original proposal that gained support and attained the 1st pay group raise of Texas Chaplains in 40+ years during the 2001 Texas Legislature - a bear to complete and still a powerful presentation on Chaplaincy, the Chaplaincy Market, and the value of Chaplaincy to TDCJ and Texas.  See Programmer Pay Grade.

Chaplain Professional Equity Fact Sheet 2000 - first two-page fact sheet used that showed statistics and specific contributions to mission-critical functions of the agency.

Chaplain Professional Equity Letter 2001 - four-page color letter used in Austin 2001 as we fought for Chaplaincy Professional Equity, made a couple hundred color copies and passed out in Austin.

V V V  House Appropriations Chair Rob Junnell receives Honor State Chaplain Award  V V V

Rob Junnell Honorary Chaplain

^ click to see larger ^

Some have minimized my work and, sadly, a few even took credit for some of it.  Here is a letter from Texas Representative Jim McReynolds. He really helped us when it counted.

McReynolds Letter

^ click to see larger ^

 

 $1,000,000
^ click to see larger - used to saturate Austin in 2001, 2007, 2011 ^
 

Chaplain Equity TIMELINE April 2002 for Gary Johnson - a 100-page letter to Executive Director Gary Johnson, that four of us chaplains personally presented to Johnson over that included many unethical business practices.  It contains much of the 2000 proposal, revised, and a critical TIMELINE of the unethical tweaking of the Chaplaincy Director's job description and much more.  A piece for the archives, if ever there was.  Pages 54-65 have timeline of unethical practices.

Gary Johnson - September 2002 - Moratorium on Director of Chaplain Position - to forestall more unethical hiring and degrading of TDCJ Chaplaincy - Johnson initiated an internal affairs investigation, but it was determined nothing purely illegal took place, though ethics had been thrown out the window.   It was a warning that unethical practices would continue, and they did, in the hiring of Bill Pierce shortly afterward, who did not even have an accredited bachelor's degree.
See Bill Pierce's 2000 Application here, at the time, the lowest qualified "director" of chaplains in the history of the U.S.

August 22, 2014 - Letter to Brad Livinston, Oliver Bell, legislators and TBCJ - plea for investigation ... and nothing follows

Chaplaincy Audit 2001 ~ First in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 136 of the TDCJ's chaplains in November of 2001.  No other more comprehensive look at correctional chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date.  See how they themselves view the profession. 

History of In-Prison Programming in the USA  by Dr. Michael G. Maness, 1997  for his dissertation at New Orleans Seminary

Etymology of "Chaplain" ~ Michael G. Maness history and etymology of word "chaplain" 

Legislation on "Chaplain" in Texas' 81st Legislature    

Equity for ALL Behind the Wire - and Chaplains - Letter to Steve Ogden, Chairman of Texas Senate Finance Committee, et al   

Religion in Prison: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains (3-22-12), what they do, what happens


Documents of Note Related to TDCJ Rehabilitation & Reentry

General TDCJ Operations

Chaplaincy & Volunteers

Texas Sunset Report 2006-07 - TDCJ Another 12 Years - First issue rehabilitation - TX recidivism 30% v. CA 60%

Chaplaincy Healthcare 2001 & Wyatt-Solucient Comparison

TDCJ  Budget Summary 2007

Volunteerism in Texas 2002 - nothing sub. on TDCJ chaplaincy

Texas Governor's Performance Measures 2000

Volunteer Environmental Scan 2001 - nothing sub. on TDCJ chaplaincy

Report or Reentry Policy Council 2004 - 658pp

Baylor Religion Study 2006 & Texas Religion Chart - importance of religion in general to most of the population

Reentry Texas by Urban Institute 2004 - 124pp

California Chaplain Study - 1991 ~ Leadership Complexity

California Chaplain Study - 2001 

Pew Report - Behind Bars 2008 - look at prisons in USA

Wisconsin Chaplaincy Study 1998

Texas State Auditor's Classification Plan for 04-05 - All Jobs

Florida Chaplaincy Study 2001

Texas State Auditor's Classification Plan for 06-07 - All Jobs

Maryland Chaplaincy Expansion Proposal 1992

 

 Inside Corrections - Ok Chaplaincy, Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections (March/April 2012 • 24:2), devoted to Chaplaincy

Texas State Auditor's Correctional Officer's Report

TDCJ Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 - raw data on 150 TDCJ chaplains

History of In-Prison Programming in the USA 

Faith-based Dorm 5 Years - Alfred Unit - Disciplinaries decrease 

Supporting Documents & Technical Treatises

Highlighted Items   

Professional Correctional Chaplaincy:  Fact or Fiction, by Dr. Vance Drum, Senior Chaplain, Eastham Prison, TDCJ, a paper presented at the 2007 American Correctional Chaplaincy Association convention.

Measuring Prison Chaplaincy Complexity, Maness 2001 Article, Restorative Justice News  

Chaplains & Career Ladder ~  small request to raise 50 of the most senior TDCJ chaplains to Chaplain III;  this would be the first career ladder for TDCJ chaplains in Texas history, even as they recover entire operating costs.

Baylor 2006 Landmark Study of Religion - unique and comprehensive look a religion


Chaplaincy Audit 2001 ~ FIRST in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 136 of the TDCJ's chaplains in November of 2001.  No other more comprehensive look at correctional chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date.  See how they themselves view the profession. 

History of In-Prison Programming in the USA  by Dr. Michael G. Maness, 1997  for his dissertation at New Orleans Seminary

Restorative Justice—America's New Frontier (print ready) and RJ Original Publication - Michael G. Maness, published in Texas Journal of Corrections Vol. 29:4, Nov. 2003


Prison Re-Entry

Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council (2004)  A huge 658-page cross-continental study, see more at www.ReEntryPolicy.org 

Re-Entry in Texas (2004) A good study by the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.

Special Studies

Pew Center on the States - One in 100 Behind Bars 2008 -- comprehensive look at prison in the USA

 

Chaplaincy and Volunteers

COST-Effectiveness ~ Fiscal Impact Statement ~ Chaplains Recover ENTIRE Operating Costs 3x over, irrefutably, even more with thought --Best Kept Secret in Texas  

Chaplaincy Market ~ Texas Chaplains are deserving of Professional Equity

National Chaplaincy Standards ~ TRUE Benchmarks for Success

TDCJ Chaplaincy & ACA Standards ~ THE Pursuit of Excellence involves the American Correctional Association:  Chaplaincy was there from the beginning     

Flannelly, Kevin J., Linda L Emanuel, George F Handzo, Kathleen Galek, Nava R Silton, and Melissa Carlson. “A National Study of Chaplaincy Services and End of Life Outcomes,” BMC Palliative Care 11, no. 10 (July 2012).

 

 

TDCJ Chaplaincy's Unmatched Statistics - True & Hidden Treasures

   TDCJ Staff Chaplain Cumulative Stats FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 
      Superlative numbers deserving equity in support  

   TDCJ - RPD Quarterlies, 21 in All - FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
     Staff Chaplain stats not mentioned one single time

Chaplaincy Statistics Cumulative 2010-2011-2012 

Chaplaincy Statistics CLIPPED for FY2010-11  

FY2004 Chaplaincy Stats ~ Compare > FY 2002 ~ FY 2001 ~ FY 2000 ~ FY 1999 ~ FY 1998 These are extraordinary Performance Measures -- here for the first time.  See also the
TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure Management - 2000 ed. 

 

TDCJ Chaplaincy Volunteer Statistics

click to see larger ^

The Independent Sector valued a volunteer’s time at $23 per hour in 2015.  With 560,261 volunteer hours reported in 2012, that is over $13.4 million for one year. Therefore, upon facilitation of volunteers alone, chaplaincy recovers its entire operating costs over three times! Some volunteers are worth much more

TDCJ RPD Division Reports from Marvin Dunbar, Manager III to Director, though reports do not have routing Chaplaincy Overview 2012 - Chaplaincy Overview 2011 - Chaplaincy Overview 2010 Open Record requests did not yield that any of these went to TBCJ

TDCJ Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 - First in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from ALL of TDCJ's 150 chaplains in November of 2000.  See how they themselves view the profession.

 

Primary Chaplaincy Equity Documents ~

Chaplains - Help - with Career Ladder small request to raise 40 of the most senior TDCJ chaplains to Chaplain III;  this would be the first career ladder for TDCJ chaplains in Texas history--and still they recover ENTIRE operating costs.

Chaplain Equity Proposal - Old - 2001 ~ Original proposal that gained support and attained the 1st pay group raise of Texas Chaplains in 35+ years, the initial justification for full Chaplain Professional Equity 

TDCJ Chaplaincy Audit Results 2001 ~ FIRST in Texas History, the raw data on questionnaires from 150 TDCJ's chaplains in November of 2000.  No other more comprehensive look at correctional chaplaincy exists anywhere or to date.  See how they themselves view the profession. 

Cost-Effectiveness -- Chaplains Recover ENTIRE Operating Costs
 3x over, Irrefutably, even more with thought --
Best Kept Secret in Texas  

Chaplaincy Market ~ Without doubt - Texas Chaplains are Long Overdue

History & Value of Correctional Chaplaincy  ~  Emmett Solomon (R.I.P. - 1936-2014)

Carol Vance on Chaplaincy ~ former TDCJ Board Chairman 

Desert Storm & Prison Chaplaincy ~ Senior Chaplain M. Mantooth 

Measuring Prison Chaplaincy Complexity, Maness 2001 Article ~ Restorative Justice News, Sept.-Dec., 2001, by Michael G. Maness  

Chaplain's Job:  Complex & Pervasive ~ Michael G. Maness 

Brown, Leo E., “Prison Chaplaincy,” Inside Corrections (March/April, 2012), 9-33, see www.Ok.gov/doc/documents/marchapril.pdf, the role of prison chaplaincy in Oklahoma, the whole issue devoted to highlighting chaplaincy--superb article!

Professional Correctional Chaplaincy:  Fact or Fiction, by Dr. Vance Drum, Senior Chaplain, Eastham Prison, TDCJ, a paper presented at the 2007 American Correctional Chaplaincy Association convention.

Professional Chaplaincy:  Role in Healthcare 2001 - no photos 
One of the
most significant pieces of work on the contribution of professional chaplaincy by the largest collection of cross-disciplinary chaplaincy professionals as a joint statement by the ACPE, APC, CAPPE, NACC and NAJC, a thought provoking look at the complexity and depth of service by a professional chaplaincy.  " The first joint statement on this subject prepared by the five largest healthcare chaplaincy organizations in North America representing over 10,000 members.  As a consensus paper, it presents the perspectives of these bodies on the spiritual care they provide for the benefit of individuals, healthcare organizations and communities." 
FULL Version > Professional Chaplaincy Role 2001 - 2.5 Mgs ** 
See site of origin >
www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/publications/publications/white_paper_05.22.01/index.html

Impact of Inmate Participation In Chaplaincy Programs 
Florida DOC 2001 document a clear correlation between inmate chapel attendance and institutional adjustment, namely, lower disciplinary reports.  Chapel attendance was tracked for the months of July, August and September 2001 and compared with statewide disciplinary reports on prisoners.  The result is incontrovertible:  Chapel attendance by inmates positively effects the institution with as much as 2/3 less disciplinary reports for those who attend 10+ times a month.    

Watson-Wyatt vs. Solucient Surveys - the most significant data source used by the Texas State Auditor's office on Chaplains was from the Watson-Wyatt survey, yet the survey is grossly inadequate to discern a true market for chaplains. Watson-Wyatt list of 551 hospitals is compared to the "Top 100 Hospitals" selected by Solucient, where Solucient's 460 Top 100 are culled from 3,000+ hospitals from 1993-2000, as well as 18 of the 20 largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the US (all the US hospitals reporting to Medicare):  astounding is the fact that so few of Watson-Wyatt hospitals appear in any Solucient Top 100.

Prison Ministries - Partial List of TDCJ Chaplains' Network - 700+  

 

 

TDCJ Chaplaincy Statistics - not published by TDCJ, ever, to anyone

FY2012-Chaplaincy ~ FY2011 ~ FY2010 < these as given for volunteers only - no time to consolidate yet  
~ FY2004 ~
FY 2002 ~ FY 2001 ~ FY 2000 ~ FY 1999 ~ FY 1998 ~
These are extraordinary Performance Measures -- here for the first time. 
--See TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure Management 2000 Ed. 

    NEW:  TDCJ Staff Chaplain Cumulative Stats FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 
      Superlative numbers deserving equity in support  

    NEW:  TDCJ - RPD Quarterlies, 21 in All - FYs 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
     Staff Chaplain stats not mentioned one single time

 

TDCJ RPD Division Reports from Marvin Dunbar, Manager III to Director, though reports do not have routing 
Chaplaincy Overview 2012 - Chaplaincy Overview 2011 - Chaplaincy Overview 2010 
Open Record requests did not yield that any of these went to TBCJ

 

TDCJ Cumulative Statistics on Chaplaincy 2012-2011-2010 - Extraordinary Service

TDCJ Cumulative Statistics CLIPPED for FY2010-11  

 

See the Independent Sector's Valuation of Volunteer Service - $23 per hour in 2015
www.IndependentSector.org/volunteer_time  As chaplains facilitate volunteers, there is a two-fold cost recovery on that alone.  And many volunteers are worth much more than that, and chaplaincy contributes much more.  

 

Prison Unit Employee Pay Equity ~ How "attrition" is not the best excuse to give raises

TDCJ & Texas State General Information

Prison Unit Employee Pay Equity ~
How "Attrition" is a poor excuse to give raises

State Classification Proposal for 2000-2001** ~ This was the proposal offered to the 77th Legislative Session.  Chaplains are on page 40.  Beyond this proposal, our Legislators in 2001 gave a one pay group raise to State Chaplains, the first in 40+ years.  Also beyond this proposal, the Correctional Officers of our prisons received a career ladder up to 5 levels from 3 - somewhat paralleling what proposal was offering Juvenile Correctional Officers.

2002-09-22 Letter to Gary Johnson asking for Moratorium on Hiring Director of Chaplains because of hiring improprieties. 

2004-2005 Proposed Changes to State Classification Schedule --
Chaplaincy Left Out Again --
Surprising Adjustments and Rationale that makes CHAPLAIN Professional EQUITY all the more reasonable --

Auditor's Correctional Officer's Report ** ~
The State Auditors report on Correctional Officer Staffing, needs, assessments, etc., that does NOT necessarily reflect the experience of the officers themselves.  They could have done better for our staff -- namely focused attention on how to increase pay in proportion to the "value" of their service to the state of Texas.  For instance, there is much well analyzed data on raw facts but nearly nothing done on the complexity or stresses of the job or how that job impacts the overall effectiveness of the TDCJ's mission statement. 

TX State Auditor's Guide to Performance Measure Management 2002 edition **HOW performance measures are SUPPOSED to be used

Texas State Auditor's Methodology Manual - Frames ~ No Frames ~ This is how they do what they do - expansive AND informative to Chaplain Professional Equity ** 
            
** NEEDs Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0  < Free>  click here 

http://TDCJ.state.tx.us/  ~  http://www.CAPITOLstate.tx.us/  ~ 

http://www.SAO.state.tx.us/  ~  http://www.TXDirectory.com/  ~ 

http://www.LBB.state.tx.us/  ~  http://www.STATE.tx.us/ 

Where "Professional Equity" Began

Chaplains Speak:  Education & Experience Second to None 

Rationale for Professional Equity for Chaplains ~ M.G. Maness 

WHY for Chaplains ~ M.G. Maness 

Watershed History ~ Where & When it all began 

First Pay Scale Comparison ~ To TX Representative Ellis
showing odd differences & asking basic questions 

Chaplains Get a Small Boost ~ RJN article, May-Aug., 2001: from Texas Senate & House to a conference committee, "how" we got a the 1st pay group raise for state chaplains in state history, not yet Professional Equity, but a nice boost

U.S. Army Chaplaincy Program

U.S. Army Chaplaincy Constitutional Defense ~   

U.S. Army Chaplaincy History ~ the BEST history of any Professional Chaplaincy Organization in the World -- bar none -- extraordinary 

Where Prison Chaplaincy Began:  History & Theory 

Chaplaincy:  Greatest Story 'Never' Told ~ David B. Plummer   

Etymology of "Chaplain" ~ Michael G. Maness history and etymology of word "chaplain"

Chaplain as Representative of the Transcendent ~ Guy Greenfield 

History of In-Prison Programming in America ~ M.G. Maness 

  Chaplaincy Studies

Relevant Technical Studies & Other Info ~

new PBS Documentary,

"How Chaplains 'Lean into Painful Places'" article in Huffington Post, by Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service (11-2-15, 7:47 pm), summing and telling about PBS Documentary 

Strategic Plan to Reduce Crime Through a Public/Private Partnership
Proposal to Build Prison Chapels
** ~
Frank Graham & Chapel of Hope Huge, noble effort to build free standing chapels in ALL Texas Prisons 

Congress on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) Report 1992, sent to all TDCJ Chaplains in 1993 - sage advice still relevant

California Chaplain Study - 1991 ~ Chaplain Leadership Complexity 

California Chaplain Study - 2001 ~ Chaplain Leadership Complexity 

Marsh v. Chambers 1983 ~ Supreme Court decision supporting state paid chaplains to open Nebraska's legislature with prayer

Maryland Chaplaincy Expansion Proposal 1992 ~ Sociologically Poignant 

Wisconsin 1998 Faith-Based Approaches** ~ Chaplaincy First  

Brown, Leo E., “Prison Chaplaincy,” Inside Corrections (March/April, 2012), 9-33, see www.Ok.gov/doc/documents/marchapril.pdf, the role of prison chaplaincy in Oklahoma, the whole issue devoted to highlighting chaplaincy--superb article!


Major Chaplaincy Networks & Training

Clinical Training & Networks

Association of Clinical Pastoral Education ~ Find ACPE Center  

Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training

Health Care Chaplaincy Network & CPE.org

Spiritual Care Association

Chaplain Connection

Major Chaplain Certifications

American Correctional Chaplains Association

Association of Certified Christian Chaplains

Association of Professional Chaplains

Canadian Association for Spiritual Care

Center for Spiritual Care & Pastoral Formation

College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy

Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association

International Association of Christian Chaplains

National Association of Catholic Chaplains

National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains

National Conference of Veterans Affairs Catholic Chaplains

Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains

National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains    



Polunsky Security Camera Data - Wardens KNEW about Twilight Zone

Polunsky Security Cameras:

See then TDCJ Michelle Lyons' 2011 article

           www.SecurityInfoWatch.com/news/10534358/texas-prisons-migrate-to-network-video. 

Compare with STS360’s VP Jessica Clark’s 2013 article

          http://security-today.com/Articles/2013/09/01/Behind-the-Bars.aspx

See www.PreiousHeart.net/OIG/Clark-2013.pdf and www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/Lyons-2011.pdf,

in case any of the primary sources change the original addresses to the articles.


NEW --- 70 TBCJ Summary Reports 2007 to 2019
with Chaplaincy Word Frequency Analysis

by Michael G. Maness
author of How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011

See PDF with all 70 summaries in 895 searchable pages here: 

www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy/TBCJ_2007-2019.pdf

These 70 Texas Board of Criminal Justice meeting summaries cover March 2007 to Feb. 2019—12 years—TBCJ meeting #130 to #203.  At each meeting, each board member had a stack of other material related to each agenda item.  Most summaries are 10-15 pages, for 895 pages in all, with 300,482 words. Of the 12 years from.

TDCJ Links to each report from March 2007 to Feb. 2019 at www.TDCJ.Texas.gov

February 08, 2019 ~ December 13, 2018 ~ October 18, 2018 ~ August 24, 2018 ~ June 29, 2018 ~ April 20, 2018 ~ February 23, 2018 ~ December 15, 2017 ~ October 19, 2017 ~ August 25, 2017 ~ June 30, 2017 ~ April 06, 2017 ~ February 10, 2017 ~ December 09, 2016 ~ October 18, 2016 ~ ugust 18, 2016 ~ June 24, 2016 ~ April 15, 2016 ~ February 19, 2016 ~ December 15, 2015 ~ October 15, 2015 ~ August 07, 2015 ~ June 10, 2015 ~ April 17, 2015 ~ February 20, 2015 ~ December 5, 2014 ~ October 9, 2014 ~ August 22, 2014 ~ June 5, 2014 ~ April 17, 2014 ~ February 21, 2014 ~ December 12, 2013 ~ October 10, 2013 ~ August 23, 2013 ~ June 21, 2013 ~ April 5, 2013 ~ January 11, 2013 ~ November 30, 2012 ~ August 23, 2012 ~ June 15, 2012 ~ April 19, 2012 ~ February 10, 2012 ~ December 9, 2011 ~ October 14, 2011 ~ August 19, 2011 ~ June 10, 2011 ~ April 8, 2011 ~ February 11, 2011 ~ December 9, 2010 ~ October 14-15, 2010 ~ August 16, 2010 ~ June 17, 2010  ~ April 8-9, 2010 ~ February 11, 2010 ~ December 10-11, 2009 ~ October 8, 2009 ~ August 21, 2009 ~ June 19, 2009 ~ April 3, 2009 ~ February 13, 2009 ~ December 2-3, 2008 ~ September 26, 2008 ~ August 14, 2008 ~ May 20, 2008 ~ March 26-27, 2008 ~ January 23, 2008 ~ November 29, 2007 ~ September 13, 2007 ~ July 12-13, 2007 ~ May 24, 2007 ~ March 30, 2007 

Certainly, no one is going to read most of these, and few will read more than one.  What is interesting are the two revisions to the TBCJ Board Rule on donated property for religious purposes that had to wait 30 days with publication in the Texas Register.  The “no comments” to that publication is likely not that unusual, being that the readers are mostly lawyers and so few even attend the TBCJ meetings.

TBCJ #146, 12-10-2009 & TBCJ #147, 2-11-10  ~  TBCJ #173, 6-5-14 & TBCJ #174, 8-22-14

Why was such attention given to this?  Just to clarify seemed moot.  We shall never know, though we have initiated an Open Record request for a list of the donated projects, and that revealed little reason.  That is, there were no extraordinary donations imminent. 

Word Frequency Analysis on “Chaplaincy” in 70 TBCJ Reports

Of these 70 TBCJ summaries from 2007 to 2019—12 years—TBCJ meetings #130 to #203, this moderate analysis reveals how little chaplaincy is used, even minimized, related to their contributions in the facilitation of the vast array of volunteer and religious facilitation.

Chaplaincy 18x … Chaplains 2x … Chaplain 2x

12 x Chaplaincy refers to one of the many volunteer awards, “from Chaplaincy”
            while most all the other awards are religious oriented under Chaplaincy

1x Chaplaincy, Barak Foundation personal property donation of 342 books to “Chaplaincy Program,” (TBCJ #130, 3-30-7).  In ten years, and from a single donation, yet most TDCJ Chaplains will receive individual and bulk donations of books and Bibles, newsletters, pamphlets and booklets of a value between $30-50,000 each year.

1x Chaplaincy, “addition of 20 additional staff positions to Chaplaincy Department,” (TBCJ #130, 5-24-7), though the minutes do not mention that 25 in all were added by the legislature, and TDCJ decided to put five into parole positions.

1x Chaplaincy, TDCJ Exec. Dir. Brad Livingston noted simply that that the “House and Senate appropriations bills restored funding for the TDCJ chaplaincy department” (TBCJ #154, 4-8-11).

1x Chaplaincy, in a long paragraph on volunteer contribution “TDCJ’s rehabilitative program” TDCJ Exec. Dir. Brad Livingston also added “success of the volunteer effort in chaplaincy” (TBCJ #160, 4-19-12).

1x Chaplaincy, TDCJ Council Sharon Howell proposed an amendment to TBCJ board rule 1. Section 152.71 to “clarify that donated buildings shall be used by offenders, to participate in programs with religious and other volunteers, the TDCJ Chaplaincy staff, and other programmatic personnel” (TBCJ #173, 6-5-14).

1x Chaplains in Public Comments, 8-21-9, Jim Dinsmore “advised the TBDJ that there was great need for additional chaplains.”

2x Chaplain, 1x Chaplains 1x Chaplaincy, when Marvin Dunbar recognized Chaplain Vance Drum as “president of the American Correctional Chaplains Association, which is an affiliate of the American Corrections Association” and “Chaplain Michael Rutledge as the assistant director of the Chaplaincy Department,” the latter not a member of ACCA and whose position Dunbar created to leapfrog Rutledge from a unit chaplain to supervisor of chaplains (TBCJ #166, 4-5-19).

Religion 1x … Religious 52x

1x Religion, EEO correction of PD-12, “color, sex (gender), religion, national origin, age (40 or above), diability…” (TBCJ #146, 12-10-09).  

25x Religious, at annual volunteer awards, Religious Service, usually two.

1x Religious, from Public Comments, Alison Dieter spoke on “restoring religious services to death row offenders” and mentioned harsh conditions (TBCJ #136, 4-26-19).

5x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, related to BP-02.84 and Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Melinda Bozarth noted BP-02.84 was identical to Board Rule 152.71, considered at a later meeting, and 37 TAC was under mandatory 4-year review and needed amending (TBCJ #146, 12-10-2009).

2x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), since no comment was made upon its publication in (12-09) Texas Register, TDCJ Counsel Melinda Bozarth recommended TBCJ adopt the rule as presented in packet (TBCJ #147, 2-11-10).

1x Religious, TDCJ Counsel Melinda Bozarth recommended changes to offender Disciplinary Rules, specifically Sec. III.B.3.d that “certain religious items may not be taken from an offender as a disciplinary sanction” (TBCJ #148, 4-8-10).

1x Religious, during Public Comments, Gloria Rubac spoke on behalf of death row and solitary confinement offenders and asked when “suspended programming will be reinstated, such as piddling, the work program, and religious programs” (TBCJ #168, 8-23-13).

5x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented the rule, “noting its amendment to clarify that donated buildings shall be used by offenders, to participate in programs with religious and other volunteers, the TDCJ Chaplaincy staff, and other programmatic personnel” (TBCJ #173, 6-5-14).

3x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented Board Rule 152.71 previously “noting its amendment to clarify that donated buildings shall be used by offenders, to participate in programs with religious and other volunteers, the TDCJ Chaplaincy staff, and other programmatic personnel” and that appeared in Texas Register (6-20-14) with no public comments, and she asked that it be finally adopted (TBCJ #174, 8-22-14).

See Texas Register (v39:25, p. 4734, pdf p. 26), which changes seem moot.

1x Religious, during Public Comments, Pat Harwell spoke on solitary confinement reading an offender’s list of complaints, “no make-up for recreation time lost due to bad weather, and the deprivation of sleep, religious services,” and asked the TBCJ investigate (TBCJ #174, 8-22-14).

4x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented proposed amendments, as it is up for 4-year review, and “proposed changes do not affect any practice and clarify the responsibilities associated with donating buildings to the TDCJ” (TBCJ #202, 8-13-18).

4x Religious, on the agenda and in several minutes, Title 37 Texas Administrative Code Section 152.71, Acceptance of Gifts and Grants Related to Building for Religious and Programmatic Activities (37 TAC §152.71), TDCJ Counsel Sharon Howell presented the previously approved amendments, that it has appeared in the Texas Register 12-28-18 with no subsequent comments and that the board move forward with final adoption (TBCJ #203, 2-8-19).

   See Texas Register (v43:52, pp. 8568-69, pdf pp. 58-59), which changes are dramatic, though similarly moot, as if a volunteer org would hire unqualified builders or that TDCJ might have been somehow obligated prior to change to use unqualified builders, further secularizing and appear to make it harder for volunteers to build chapels.  One wants to ask if all the Board Rules were similarly scrutinized, especially since so few (if any) donated buildings or enhancements were ever done by purely secular organizations.  That is, I doubt any building or significant enhancement has ever been done by a purely non-religious organization.  That is, as most know, all or most all have been done for Chaplaincy Programs, or at least by those with religious motives, and mostly by Christians.  Be   interesting to see that studied.

   Were any prospective donor groups were invited?  I doubt it.  Likewise, where there any prospective donor groups in mind for these changes?  Or more simply, were there any current donor projects in progress at all? 

Volunteerism 5x, Volunteer 360x

   Most all uses were during the Annual Governor’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Services Awards Ceremony. … now, maybe it is just a coincidence that two Board Rule changes happened during the four meetings where there were no significant volunteers invited.  Maybe not.

03-24-07       12th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony        TBCJ #131
05-20-08       13th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony        TBCJ #137
04-03-09       14th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony        TBCJ #142
04-08-10       15th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony        TBCJ #148
04-08-11       16th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #154
04-19-12       17th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #160
04-05-13       18th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #166
04-17-14       19th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #172
04-17-15       20th Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #178
04-15-16       21st Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #184
04-06-17       22nd Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony        TBCJ #191
04-20-18       23rd Annual Governor’s Awards Ceremony         TBCJ #198 

TBCJ Board Rule changes on donated property for religious purposes:
#146, 12-10-2009   #147, 2-11-10 … and #173, 6-5-14  #174, 8-22-14

On #154, no mention was made of the volunteers that HELPED save Chaplaincy earlier in the year. 

Conclusion?—If the TBCJ Really Valued Volunteers, Chaplaincy Would be Secure

     The TBCJ looks at a lot of material for a huge agency. One might think the Chaplaincy Department within the Rehabilitation Programs Division (RPD) a small affair not deserving Board attention—a near non-entity in their reports.  And the Programs Division itself has never published anything significant on what the Chaplains do for the last 25-plus years.

    Volunteers are noticed once a year at the TBCJ meetings in the guise of an Annual Governor’s Award, some 20,000 strong, with numerous awards for a variety of services.  Look at the award names.  Good causes all of them.  What is not apparent is that most are for religious volunteerism.  Even the “Employee Volunteer” is most often a Chaplaincy volunteer.  Who “volunteers” for a strictly secular purpose?  The AA volunteer at the Gib Lewis Unit in Woodville for 15 years was a CVCA, Certified Volunteer Chaplains Assistant, and he volunteered for AA for strictly Christian purposes.  It’s the same for most volunteers, though the RPD has gone to great lengths to make as much volunteerism as possible appear non-religious, when the facts are actually the opposite.   

    What is NOT APPARENT and never related with clarity by the RPD or anywhere is that the 120 Chaplains are the staffers that facilitate 95% of the 20,000 volunteers, perhaps 99.999% of them religious.  But who knows?  The TDCJ and RPD have rebuffed efforts at honest analysis for decades, and the recent hiring of non-educated Dir. of Religious Services is just another part of the sad story of obfuscating the work of Chaplains and hiding the benign profession’s work.*

    Notably, at the 158th TBCJ meeting on Dec. 9, 2010, there was no mention of TDCJ’s plan to delete—i.e., zero budget—the entire Chaplaincy Department.  Only on the 154th TBCJ meeting on April 8, 2011, was there mention that Texas House and Senate restored funding.  The only—only—reason in Austin was that “the volunteers can do it all.”  That story was told in full in How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011—the Immeasurable Value of Religion, Volunteers, and Their Chaplains which detailed all.**  Volunteers are facilitated by staff, and no one cares for them more than the Chaplains, and Madeline Ortiz knew that when she attempted to kill the department.  The volunteers helped save it—and the TBCJ should have, too.

    The greatest source of change in human history is religion, and chaplains care like few.

 See PDF with all 70 summaries in 895 searchable pages here: 
www.PreciousHeart.net/chaplaincy/TBCJ_2007-2019.pdf

 * See the TDCJ Deep State Report, www.PreciousHeart.net/OIG/TDCJ-OIG-2019.pdf… for documented details and links to much on this and other tragedies to chaplaincy and travesties to justice and fair play.

 

 Man in the Arena, by Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), Speech at the Sorbonne,
    Paris, France, April 23, 1910 ... 26th U.S President 1901-1909  


Author of
How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011
Immeasurable Value of Religion, Volunteers and Their Chaplains
email author:  Michael G. Maness

Forewords by

Frank E. Graham Jr., Founder and President, Chapel of Hope

Jerry A. Madden, Senior Fellow, Right on Crime;  Chair, Texas House Committee on Corrections 2005-09 and 2011-12

Carol S. Vance, Former Chairman of the TBCJ;  Harris County District Attorney, 1966-79

Dr. Keith Bellamy, Senior Minister, Woodville Church of Christ;  TDCJCertified Volunteer Chaplain and Chaplain of Tyler County

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How We Saved Texas Prison Chaplaincy 2011

       “A person’s religion should have no bearing on his or her freedom.  All are entitled to the same level of protection in the free world, in the courts, in prison, and in the judicial process.  Recidivism should not be a factor in religious programming.  One of the most potent elements for serious change is also an axiom of most of the world's religions:  a man or woman grows best in their faith when they are sincerely searching of their own free will, unencumbered by either government favor or hostility and in the context of true freedom of conscience and freedom of religion

       "We have come a long way, especially in America, and freedom of religion and conscience is the greatest asset of all.  That is not hard to understand, but it is hard to live.  How we administrate that freedom in our prisons is the most important programming issue of the 21st century." 

Michael Glenn Maness (working paper)

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