One such instance is the new prisoner property policy which seeks to restrict prisoner property to that of Two (2) cubic feet ( The approximate size of two large shoe boxes.) This is done in order to first of all, restrict the amount of legal materials that a prisoner may obtain, certain property that was sold to prisoners is being confiscated and other similar property(s) are being sold by the facility commissary.

[We are currently preparing an anti-trust complaint against Boyde distributors and TDCJ-ID, the Corporation, due to price gouging/fixing and violation of Texas Securities Act] The new policy purports to provide a uniform policy but neglects to state that units have a right to establish their own rules and regulations so long as they facially comport with Institutional Rules and Policies.

This is but one of the many serious issues facing TPLU.

We intend to introduce legislative proposals that would make individual employees of TDCJ responsible for their own actions. Over the past decade, the State of Texas has expended literally millions of Tax Dollars defending guards who violate Civil and Human Rights of Prisoners by destroying personal property: stealing personal property of prisoners: beating prisoners and subjecting prisoners to a number of other abuses that constitute mental and physical tortures.

The proposed legislation would force the TDCJ to:
1) Establish Comprehensive psychological testing for all newly hired officers and for current officers whom have engaged in a number of major uses of force against prisoners that have resulted in substantial injury to the prisoner.

2) Force officers and employees whom have engaged in actions that violate Civil, Criminal and Human Rights of Prisoners and done so with reasonable intent to cause harm, to hire their own counsel when a complaint is brought against them, relieving the tax payer of the burden of paying to defend an individual who has been clearly abusive with the intent to deprive a prisoner of Human or Civil rights.

3) Reorganize the office of the Internal affairs/General counsel, granting all qualified officers full police powers and moving the Internal Affairs Division from under the supervision of The Texas Department of Criminal Justice and reorganizing the Internal Affairs Division under preview of the Governors office, Criminal Investigation Division.

In the years of operation of The Internal Affairs Division, the objectives of the division have become obscured for many reasons, not the least of which is Nepotism.

The current objectives of the division are tempered to a great degree by the divisions desire to protect the department from civil liability, which is most certainly not a mandate of that division but so long as the good ol'boy system is in place, then the actions of the division will not change. They have no desire to prosecute officers who violate the rights of prisoners, only officers who in some manner assist prisoners. These simple changes will go a very long way to forcing the Texas Penal System to becomeResponsible Public Servants.

I personally take this job very seriously, and not simply because I am a Slave in Texas. I sincerely care about the human family and understand our collective need to abolish all forms of criminal behavior. We must learn to deal with situtations that face our society in a non violent manner and to teach others to react in non violent ways. You cannot teach a person who has exibited violent behavior, not to be violent if you yourself use violent measures. This is a simple principle which the T.D.C.J. does not understand and seems incapable of understanding.

We meet the challenge head on and advocate change in the most direct manner possible. We are not a group for the faint hearted. Please do not take this as a slight. It is not so intended. Different groups seek to accomplish different goals differently, although most have a missive statement that represent the same goals as the TPLU.

The TPLU is now 10 years old, having survived numerous confrontations against the infamous Texas Dept.of Criminal Justice system that is a 2,000,000,000/yr budget Corp. that operates outside the Law with total/complete Legal protection by the Entire force of the Attorney General of Texas.

TPLU is a Registered Labor Union, we have our EIN number, recordings with the Dept. of Labor and the National Relations Board.

We do not charge dues to members, as we are a small organization, around 200 in view of the fact that Texas has about 2,000,000 people locked up or on paper.

For membership we require Work and the Commitment to pay ones own operating expenses. Through this tact we have gained a membership that is Truly dedicated.