NOTE:The writings posted by the Lamp of Hope Project are provided by prisoners. The Lamp of Hope Project does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these pieces, nor do they necessarily reflect the opinion or views of any within the Lamp of Hope Project.

Have you ever heard the old saying, “S**t rolls downhill”? Nothing can be more true, when you deal with the Texas Department of Corrections (sic) (which should be called Department of Mistakes).

Let's look at what we have… We got 7 (seven) escaped inmates who are suspected (let's not forget that!!) of several crimes committed while on escape. The worst crime these individuals are “suspected” of doing is capital murder of a peace officer. Now that is about as serious as you can get, because when they're arrested they will face the death penalty, and judging by the slant of the media – the officers family (mainly the mother) and the State of Texas, and its past history, you can pretty much bet on one thing… Death! Either on the streets of Texas or on the Death Chamber of Texas.

You can count on this, like you can count on the sun rising in the East!

And, when it's all over, we'll have that Mr. Castleberry (T.D.C.J. spokesman) say “that the Sate of Texas and T.D.C.J. have dealt with those, who were held accountable, for the death of Police Officer Aubrey Hawkins.” And we'll see Ms. Aubrey Hawkins cry, and say how she feels relieved and now has “closure”.

But!! Shat she should say is “When are the T.D.C.J. officials who were responsible for those inmates, who killed my son, be held accountable?” And the answer to that will be Never!

See, accountability is a 2 way street and runs on responsibility and TDCJ has never been held responsible without a judge saying so! And only one has had the gumption to say what all Texans secretly want to…

And you can believe that the TDCJ fought, scratched, yelled and bit its' way into that courtroom and still does to this very day.

But will Ms. Hawkins see that accountability in some tangible form? No! Ever ? No! Have the 100s of grieving mothers who have lost sons in TDCJ ever received some form of accountability? No!

Ms. Hawkins should look at those 100s of grieving mothers and see the tired eyes and pitiful look of women who have fought the up-hill battle against the rolling crap that TDCJ has hurled down the slopes at these poor women. And did they win? No!

At best, they got a phone call from a mournful chaplain, a form letter from a disinterested warden and a pitiful excuse for the death of a son from the Internal Affairs officer… But no one spoke of accountability!

Never has a since TDCJ official been held accountable for the actions of his officers and rank on the unit or off it. NEVER!

What we will see is a witch hunt on some C.O.s (correctional officers). Some will be suspended or told to leave the unit… some will be reprimanded and some will be put on probation.

But what about the rank? The shift supervisors? The Major? The Warden? Maintenance manager? Regional Director?

What kind of punishment will be their fate? Not much, I'll bet!

Yet due to the lack of supervision on the part of these people, 7 inmates escaped and are “suspected” of various crimes.

Real Accountability will only begin when the TDCJ officials who are responsible for the Lax Security are put on the inditement with the 7 escapees!

Accomplice to a capital crime carried some very stiff penalties, and could even carry the death penalty.

Not only in this instance, but in others. When an inmate is killed by another or assaulted by inmates and/or staff, all parties who were responsible for the well-being and safety of inmates and staff should be held accountable!! Especially when an inmate is killed because of the Lax Security of the C.O.s who were responsible for the area and the inmates in it.

They (TDCJ) told Ms Hawkins that “because of Lax Security your son is dead and we'll make sure that we point the finger in the right direction of blame!”

Instead of pointing a finger and looking for some C.O.III to blame for the death of this man (and more all over TDCJ) why don't you take some responsibility for the actions of your hirelings and hold yourselves ACCOUNTABLE!

And if that won't happen (as I know it won't) then Ms. Hawkins, and all the mothers of sons who have been lost (and those to come) should demand a grand jury to indict the accomplices of your sons murderers.

And then, perhaps, you'll get your accountability and closure…

Anibal Canales
Polunsky Unit 999366
12002 FM 350 South
Livingston
Texas 77351
USA