Opinion ID: 404985
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: the reassignment of current support service inmates.

Text: 398 The following shall govern the initial removal of certain inmates occupying (on or about the date of the Court's approval of this Stipulation) positions described in Section II, D of the Amended Decree. For the purpose of this Section only, these positions shall be referred to as SSI jobs. 399 A. Within sixty (60) days of the Court's approval of this Stipulation, all inmates assigned to SSI jobs shall be reviewed by the State Classification Committee and removed to the extent required herein. This review shall encompass, at a minimum, the inmate's central file and his unit file. Such inmates may be retained as Support Service Inmates or permitted to perform Support Service jobs only under the following conditions: 400 (1) They have not abused their position in SSI jobs; 401 (2) They meet all criteria for selection of support service inmates contained in Section IX, infra, of this Stipulation; and 402 (3) They would not be disqualified from serving as support service inmates by any of the criteria contained in Section X B, infra, of this Stipulation, other than Section X B (2), infra, but not Section VII of this Stipulation. 403 Through this review TDC shall select and remove not less than ten per cent (10%) of the inmates assigned to SSI jobs on each unit of the Texas Department of Corrections. 404 B. In addition, within sixty (60) days of the Court's approval of this Stipulation, the Special Master may require the removal of no more than twenty-five per cent (25%) of the inmates who occupied SSI jobs and performed the functions of housing unit orderlies or similar functions as described in Section II, D of the Amended Decree, major's office count boys or bookkeepers, or countroom count boys or bookkeepers at the following units: Coffield, Darrington, Eastham, Ellis, Ramsey I, Ramsey II, and Retrieve. However, at any particular unit the Special Master may designate for removal no more than fifty per cent (50%) of the inmates assigned to any one of the three job groupings listed above. If the number of inmates so removed exceeds twenty-five per cent (25%) of the total number of inmates employed in a particular job grouping at a particular unit, one-half of the number designated for removal shall be removed within sixty (60) days, and all inmates designated for removal pursuant to this Subsection must be removed within one hundred twenty (120) days. 405 In designating inmates for removal pursuant to this subsection, the Special Master need not state any reason for such designation. However, the Special Master may recommend that a particular inmate be removed for cause as defined in Subsection A, supra, and state the basis for such recommendation. In the event such a recommendation is made by the Special Master, TDC shall make a good faith investigation into the conduct of said inmate to determine whether removal under the provisions of Subsection A is appropriate. 406 C. At any time the Special Master may make a recommendation to TDC that an inmate holding an SSI or Support Service job be removed for cause as defined in Sections VIII A, supra. Such recommendation shall be non-binding. In the event such a recommendation is made by the Special Master, TDC shall make a good faith investigation into the conduct of said inmate to determine whether removal under the provisions of Subsection A is appropriate. 407 D. In addition to the removals required by Subsections A and B, supra, within one (1) year of the Court's approval of this Stipulation TDC shall transfer an additional twenty-five per cent (25%) of all inmates assigned to SSI jobs and holding positions as or performing tasks similar to housing unit orderlies, countroom count boys or bookkeepers, and major's office count boys or bookkeepers at each of the following units: Coffield, Darrington, Eastham, Ellis, Ramsey I, Ramsey II, and Retrieve. An inmate transferred pursuant to this Subsection D may be immediately assigned to a support service job at his unit of reassignment. 408 E. An inmate whose removal by TDC for a cause defined in Subsection A, supra, is occasioned in whole or in part by possession of a weapon, violence, extortion or aggressive homosexual behavior may not be reassigned to or permitted to perform any function of a Support Service job for five (5) years following his removal. Any other inmate removed under the provisions of Subsections A or B, supra, may be assigned to a Support Service job at any unit other than Coffield, Darrington, Eastham, Ellis, Ramsey I, Ramsey II and Retrieve one (1) year after his removal; provided, however, such an inmate may not be reassigned to a Support Service job at any of the named units until one year after full compliance with the terms of this Stipulation is achieved at that unit. 409