Texas Behind Bars (Texas Country Reporter)

Go inside Texas prisons to learn more about some of the enrichment programs offered to offenders in this special episode of TCR.
Prison Flags:
Donna Kasmerezak
Priscilla Hernandez
Rebecca Wilson
Prison Ministers:
Benjamin Phillips
Field Minister Troup
Jason McMahon
Sergai Daigre
Darrington Unit
59 Darrington Rd
Rosharon, TX 77583
Phone: [phone]
/ texascountry. .
Follow us on Twitter: / tcrbob
TCR #1575, 11-04-17

[@gingerleegirl6697]

Why did I get all choked up, when she said “they are makin flags”?and then again and again.

[@jessemtz8626]

This is very good news to hear about derrington unit. You should visit the neal unit in amarillo texas, they built a half million dollar state of the art church built by inmates. That deserves a spot in your reports. God bless all those inmates that are prisoners of texas department of justice.

[@JonathanKillenPGY]

I have been watching your videos for years, and I think this is you best and most moving video. What an amazing story! We need more programs like these all over the country. Keep up the good work.

[@wendyrobertson3899]

Thank you. The third segment was truly eye opening on many levels. Love all your stories but this one was by far the best. God Bless from Florida

[@RPBailey]

I can never get enough of TCR!

[@stevethecountrycook1227]

I was hungrey and you fead me. I was sick and you nursed me. I was in prison and you visited me! Need I say more?

[@stevethecountrycook1227]

Some will not come out! But some will! We are not the judge! God Help Them All!

[@alanm3438]

I was in prison a long time ago. I agree with that man to change your thinking of who you are is hard. It has been 30 years and my crime still haunts me. In prison my life was threatened nearly every day and yet I was never in a fight. God has made provision and protection. I am so surprised that the college came to the prison and that they were let in. I guarantee that those inmate pastors are marked men and will be tested. Just like on the outside, about 10% of the inmate go to church. To tell you the truth, prison would not be that bad but there are those who have hate for rules and authority and they make it hard for everyone. I feel so bad for the guards who have to put up with that hate everyday and forced overtime.

[@plowboygill3025]

I served 22yrs. in the Texas prison system. You would be amazed at the talent inside. Men and women have talent they didn’t know they had. Some use it to make do while serving their time, and become really successful upon release. The biggest downfall of the Texas system, and that’s the teaching of computers. They don’t allow it. Only if you knew computers before prison, will you be able to really succeed upon release. As I haven’t been able to find any classes. So I’m stuck in a minimum wage job. Even though I earned 3 Associates degrees and a Bachelors degree in Business, all by book, with no access to computers.

[@jcextranow]

Its good when someone free chooses to tell the story behind some of the people serving time behind bars to help communicate their stories to people on the outside.

[@BeautyLoveGoddess]

This video made me really emotional I have a brother in prison served 10 years being released this year and a school mate I care for very much serving a long sentence 😢 I hope they release him soon after he comes up parole in 2022. I love u Tommy

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Really enjoyed this video. Appreciate what you do

[@collinreesejones5525]

Doing Kairos prison ministry for years is the best thing I ever did! 😍 Not everyone in prison is a throwaway...l assure you that is true! 🤗

[@FaH-Q]

There needs to be more stories like this on TV now a day's instead of the evil stuff that is on the screen today.and yeah u do do the dq commercials huh??that's a trip keep doing ur thing bub your all right in my book buddie!!

[@StevenDragoo]

What an incredible prison program - praise the Lord...

[@KenWAnderson]

I want to see some of these guys go to the McConnel Unit in Beeville, TX!

[@nativerosenativerose8549]

This is so good to hear

[@bluegrassfan23]

A very good program!

[@jrod4855]

Im signing onto McConnell here pretty soon... waitin on process from Huntsville

[@dexter2433]

been a fan sense 4 country love it

[@magnificentone4686]

Amen and God bless them

[@carlabelisle9399]

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

[@a2j.holyloveaffairreyna757]

AS CORRECTIONAL OFFICER CRAIN UNIT GATESVILLE TX . INTO MOTHER WAS W/ME DURING SCOUTING TRIP TO ROSHARON TX (DARRINGTON UNIT] LOVE TEJAS COUNTRY REPORTER. FOREVER BLESSINGS IN JESUS HOLY COVENANT MAJESTIC NAME INDEED.

[@iamatt]

That's cute. They don't call it the rocking D for nothing. Friend was there 12 years and glad to have survived that gladiator camp.

[@2476222]

My son is in Ferguson Unit.

[@robertguerrero8009]

God Is Good, God Bless Them All..

[@juanguevara5960]

Yo estuve en esa prision. En. 2019

[@franzelliott929]

Thur god all things are possible!

[@sanjuanaalvarado6567]

WHAT IS SAD...IN PRISON, THEY ARE MANY, MANY GIFTED TALENT IN THERE..BUT, WHEN THEY GET OUT, MANY GO BACK TO OLD HABITS. I NEVER WAS AN INMATE BUT, I WORKED THERE, SAMETHING. MY TEN YEARS WORKING THERE, I HAVE SEEN, AWESOME SADDLES, TATTOOS, ARTWORK, YOU NAME IT..

[@mayhemthang]

The Rocky D

[@Potamotrygorgeous]

Can i get in touch with you please?

[@howardmanley3388]

“Over half these guys are in prison” because they could not control their emotions....It’s so important to teach our children how to control what their feeling..🙏

[@dwayneclemons5497]

I've served 5 years in the Texas state prisons, from 1993 to 1998. And I can honestly tell you that this video is all make believe rhetoric. They're not telling the the whole story, how the Texas prisons are in fact, plantations for free labor. Most of these prisoners you've seen in these videos will not be able to find a job, if they're ever paroled or discharged from prison. Unfortunately, most of them will wind up either back in priosn, dead, or at best, living a marginal life. Make no mistake, thining that the Texas prisons, let alone the US in general, has not even a remote intention to rehabilitate prisoners, to help them to become an asset to their families and communities. They'll only be an asset to the Texas prison system of slavery. As for now, I now live in Stockholm, Sweden. But I will be moving to Copenhagen, Denmark soon. I make my annual visits in New York City every Summer. I've been living my dreams for many years now. Life has been just wonderful, no thanks to TDCJ-ID.

[@dwayneclemons5497]

@SLAP YOHO, I'm not talking about your case or mines. Since my discharge in 1998 and a few hard knocks here and there, the last 18 years has been just sublime. I've lived in New York, Stockholm and now Copenhagen, pursuing my dreams. I'm not looking at one or two cases such as yours and mines and conclude that "Oh, prison does serve some good." That's not the case for most people who serve time. Mines is a general assessment.

[@pauln8913]

Dwayne...I bet you were someone's bitch

[@pbkickzofficial2546]

dude very intelligent 1 mistake cost him

[@malldollar4886]

Damn no wonder they want to go back to prison after they get out!! Look at those opportunities!!

[@LuisSanchez-kc9pq]

They don’t pay like most prisons that’s why I didn’t work and when I did it was always a poor job I did

[@brettduffy1992]

I hear they don't have air condition but they do have respite areas

[@Bnguyen276]

brettduffy19992 thought the federal government heard about it and intervened forcing them to put ac units because so many people died of heat exhaustion sometime back not to long ago.

[@robertobenigni1029]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidwiggings6951]

Gods work is being done!!!Praise Jesus!!!

[@tedcfh3113]

This makes me sick...seeing these men smiling and living...what about their victims..what about the victims family?? If you take a life...you should be executed in the same fashion as the victim...the families should be allowed to carry out justice on the offender. Its beyond me how a man or woman can stand there and say they took a life and be allowed to live...read books..watch tv..and talk to their families...thats just all kinds of injustice !!

[@christopher.a5616]

I wonder where's the young lady now 5:20.

[@Robert-nb6cc]

Modern day slavery those women aint getting nothing.Sad

[@davidmoorecatdaddy6994]

As a former inmate of tdc , I have to laugh . No offense, but that story was so orchestrated by tdc. The inmates were told to put on their shiny happy faces for the cameras, etc.

[@jessemtz8626]

Texas department of criminal justice

[@dennis1345]

Oh I see I thought his nose was stuffed up first few shows I watched but his tongue is too big for his mouth so the sound comes out through his nose wow poor guy Happy Days

[@chrisstengren8995]

Prison labor is slavery

[@magicbuskey]

This is well and good but they should be earning at least minimum wage which can be put into an account if they get out or sent to their families. Otherwise, it's slave labor.

[@bluegrassfan23]

No, it's not slave labor -- it's prison labor!

[@Fabela86]

While it would be nice for them to earn something, its just not possible for the state to pay them to work. Besides, most of the girls are excited to have the opportunity to work in this shop because its one of the only places on campus that is air conditioned and in the summer that's a God send for these ladies. It is also teaching them skills, as well as keeping them out of trouble and away from trouble during the day. Other wise they are bored with the rest of the population and that can lead to confrontation.

[@tizocalonzo7652]

I agree with you; that way they can pay their restitution to the victims, pay their child support, and still be able to purchase snack items at the commissary. But the really big reason why I think they should get paid- is so they have saved up for when they get out [for those who do] so that they can find a place to live. They could relearn to drive, and a least buy a motorhome. Q: How can paying them minimum wage be pulled off? A: Prior to 1913 their was no Federal income tax until the private company of the federal reserve was established. The federal reserve creates money out of thin air, and then loans it to the government at an interest; hence the national debt climbs. When we pay taxes, we are paying off the loan to the government. A: We can hold off on building more war planes and bombs that we really don't need. What we can save on a few stealth fighters, can go into humanity. If we can find money to kill, we can find money to heal.

[@oscarhuerta8756]

Inmate at 11:44 has Tango Blast tatted on him or am I tripping?

[@donniedarko5899]

Looked like it

[@collinreesejones5525]

NOT GARBAGE SIR...😢😭

[@fwitzell9879]

Kai

[@lubys2010]

Stick to the dq commercials .

[@alansmlth7989]

They all need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

[@richardmason7840]

Know the Gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Enjoy God

[@Kymv8382]

Lol dont buy the bullshit people. When the cameras go off, the con-games start back up. Ive worked all over Texas prisons. Ive worked with G5's and "trustees", GP pods and "God pods" as they call them. It's all the same shit. The only difference is in the God pods, the offenders pray when we're watching. I used to think the same thing, ohh they're trying to change for the better, yada yada yada. Well I can tell you, out of the thousands of offenders Ive interacted with in Texas, probably 3-4 of them genuinely seemed like changed dudes who if released, would live a moral life. "Arent we all the same?" @14:30. Good god lady, wake up! Walk through GP or a higher custody pod, they'll sexually harass you, they'll master-bate in their cells to the site of you, they'll degrade you. Wake up! We are NOT the same. Im not the same as murderer or a baby rapper! Please shut up .

[@Halfbreed75thSt]

You're a karen

[@dmitrit81]

Texans are much, much more humain than Russians if you think about their different prison systems!!! I love Texas )))

[@XonURhed1970]

Absolute Nonsense. Can you say forced indoctrination. You would not see people with money in these circumstances.

[@1964ser1]

They all need to go back to the chain gang

[@howardmanley3388]

Ser Dee you’re very compassionate....

[@jamesflores97]

Not to be negative, but jail house preachers piss me off. As soon as they get out, they are worse. Be real and don't publicize your relationship with the high almighty

[@howardmanley3388]

David Flores you seem to be a Hater , why would you put a judgment on someone for learning things about God

[@howardmanley3388]

David Flores oh and you are being negative , that’s why you had to say not to be negative...

[@ryanshuler0110]

Why showcase a bunch of hardened criminals? They do not need the 15 minutes of fame.

[@JeffMartinez648]

Ryan Shuler sir you know nothing about GOD because you know nothing about forgiveness and most of all love. It was love that hung on a cross almost 2000 years ago for YOU! It was all for forgiveness of your sins! Ask GOD to reveal HIMSELF to you and HE will show you love and forgiveness.

[@Karoke77]

You know nothing about God. One cannot know about something which does not exist.

[@nativerosenativerose8549]

Ryan Shuler they needed God and now God is in their lives and that is so awesome

[@guymorris1963]

That field minister program is a very good thing. Just remember that one day many of those men and women will be returning home to live in neighborhoods all over Texas. People should want them to return home, do well, make much better choices than the ones they made that got them put inside and have a successful legal life. These are the things I hope they experience when they are released and know that when God is for them then no one can be against them. I work for TDC and have for just under six years. I do all I can legally do at work to try to make the days better and more bearable for them, to have a good ear to listen to them when they ask for advice, give them advice to steer clear of everyone who originally got them in trouble while surrounding themselves with a positive network of people who will make them stay on a straight narrow path of good deeds and a good heart and I also do all I can to keep them safe. In the past I have met several men who had been released here in Texas and talked to them about how life had been going for them since they returned home. They told me about their good jobs, going to church and how they felt better. It made me feel good seeing how well they were doing even if I didn't work where they had been. I worked at Darrington for a while during Harvey to help them when our people had been evacuated inland.

[@hideyourcar6556]

Stfu pussy

[@genelaue8154]

After having spent over three decades in the Texas prison system, and now, seeing how you glorified the flag making at the womens unit as being "productive" upon release, I can honestly say from experience, it's nothing more than slave labor. You didn't mention that the women, nor any inmate in TDC, aren't paid one penny for industrial work. How many women flag makers do you honestly know in the free world? If you sincerely want to portray that system for what it really is, investigate the many murders committed by the administration and inmate guards in the 60's and 70's that was covered up by the Walker County coroners office and listed as natural causes.

[@kratos6033]

Ok all those programs are good.But when you get out you just a convict.A lot of places don’t want to give you jobs.You can’t rent an apartment.You fucked man.

[@cesargonzalez6883]

This is hilarious!!! I believe in second chances, and their second chance is to still live, one kills a life they get life and that should be it. Put away! All that cap and gown shit is a joke!! Dude you’re stay in prison is to live still, take it and do it everyday till judgment day. God bless.

[@justinrad5073]

I'm sorry but if you murder someone you shouldn't get to do things like this in my opinion you don't deserve it.