The Burdens of Being an Inmate.

On October 4th, 2012, the Statesman posted an interesting article regarding inmate's healthcare in prison. The post revolved around a disabled robber, Donald Carl Rash, who's medical condition leaves him vulnerable and completely dependent on Texas taxpayers for medical care. He has requested to be sent into a nursing facility, but his request has been denied by the Parole Board. Nevertheless, there have been instances where the Board has granted an inmate's demand for additional medical assistance, but the conditions have to show that the inmate is near death. An outstanding financial report reflects the decision of keeping sick inmates; the ward dumped $1.9 million in healthcare costs in 2011. As inmates get older, the more medical attention they will need. Donald says, "I've done bad things, but I want to stop being a burden to the people of the State of Texas and have some dignity before I die." That sympathetic statement had the publisher go off on a passionate quest for a solution to this problem. 

The author preaches to the taxpayers of Texas that this issue needed to be fixed. The publisher wants the inmates to receive treatment outside of their respective prisons. This relieves some of the financial burden from Texas's taxpayers, and makes taxpayers nationwide responsible for the well being of the inmate. The author provides a candid testimony from the Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman, John Whitmire. In a nutshell, he states that by re-located the sick inmate to a proper medical units, the taxpayers could save millions of dollars, and the once dangerous criminals would cause no harm to the public.

This post contains a significant amount of financial reports, a poignant testimony from a Committee Chair, and a valid response to the issue of the sick inmates. Unfortunately, I would have appreciated a more specific outcome to the approval of letting inmates receive additional medical care. The author gave a direct estimate of past costs for the medical burden that inmates cause, but the only resolution states a vague amount of money saved; I would have preferred a more specific number. But that's splitting hairs. The audience is clearly targeted, and the solution is clear. I align with the author of this article.