Texas Prison Officer Gets His Job Back After ‘Friending’ Inmate On Facebook
A Texas prison officer who lost his job after becoming friends with an inmate on Facebook has been effectively reinstated to his position, according to the Associated Press. After state prison officials investigated the matter, they determined that the officer’s relationship with the inmate did not pose any immediate security risks. As a result, he will now be allowed to return to work.
The Huntsville corrections officer was fired in May for “friending” one of his high school acquaintances through the popular social media site, though he had no idea the man was incarcerated at the time. Regardless, his employers thought befriending an inmate was a violation of policy, not to mention a huge security risk.
The American-Statesman reports that, after careful consideration, prison guards and inmates are now allowed to become friends on Facebook as the relationship doesn’t pose any serious threats to security.
“There’s almost no way a correctional officer — or anyone else for that matter — can tell if any one of their Facebook friends are convicts, parolees or ex-convicts,” explained Lance Lowry, who heads up the Huntsville chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “With more than a million people in Texas now incarcerated, on parole or probation, there’s a pretty good chance some of those Facebook friends are or have been in the criminal justice system at one time.”
During their investigation into the prison officer’s Facebook relationship with the inmate, officials discovered that other employees were friends with the same person, including the facility’s prison chief financial officer. What’s more, investigators determined that there was no real way to monitor the 40,000 employees and 154,000 prisoners who use the social networking site on a regular basis.
However, just because these friendships are allowed doesn’t mean they should be pursued.
“I don’t know why anyone in the prison business would want to be on Facebook, with their family photos and everything out there for anyone to see. You’re just asking for trouble, on the job and off,” retired prison guard John Wheeler explained.
Do you think prison officers should be able to “friend” inmates on Facebook?
Tags : Facebook, huntsville, prison office friends with inmate, prison officer facebook, texas, texas prison officer facebook
Posted: October 2, 2012
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Oct 2, 2012
My last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My sisters friend has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can't believe how easy it was once I tried it out. The potential with this is endless. This is what I do, Buzz17.cøm.
Oct 2, 2012
I myself, don't believe that these inmates should have any computer access! That way there is no danger of someone who is an inmate can have easy access to someone else's FB account not a good idea, you never know what they were put in there for to begin with.
Oct 2, 2012
I didn't even know you could get FB in prison until just now lol.
Oct 2, 2012
inmates have access to computers?
Oct 2, 2012
I know right?
Oct 2, 2012
my Corrections teachers gonna like this i think
Oct 2, 2012
That's exactly what I thought when I read this.
Oct 2, 2012
even prisons have state rules i think. but something like that shouldnt be allowed in ANY prison
Oct 2, 2012
there NOT allowed access to the web at all, they are talking about released offenders on parole and probation, then friendind d.o.c. employees.the only access prisoners have to computers are certain educational sites, no web access at all.
Oct 2, 2012
Wow, this is not California, surprisingly.
Oct 2, 2012
The fing inmates should not be on the internet!
Oct 2, 2012
I'm sure you know the rules for prisoners at every correctional facility.
Oct 2, 2012
I'm sure you know the rules for prisoners at every correctional facility.
Oct 2, 2012
I am sure a lot of these inmates are sex offenders. This is a good reason to keep them all off of facebook. And why do the convicts have access to computers anyway?
Oct 2, 2012
I am sure a lot of these inmates are sex offenders. This is a good reason to keep them all off of facebook. And why do the convicts have access to computers anyway?
Oct 2, 2012
i do smart-ass and any idiot would know a prisoner cant get on the fuckin web,duh,read the article,these are parolees,probationers,ecx…. fuckin jerk
Oct 2, 2012
i do smart-ass and any idiot would know a prisoner cant get on the fuckin web,duh,read the article,these are parolees,probationers,ecx…. fuckin jerk
Oct 2, 2012
they DONT have access to the web,these are convicts that are released brandy
Oct 2, 2012
they DONT have access to the web,these are convicts that are released brandy
Oct 2, 2012
Dennis Knight all tdcj facilities are the same according to policies and procedures. offenders do not have access to the internet. that is state-wide. before you decide to comment maybe you should do your research
Oct 2, 2012
Dennis Knight all tdcj facilities are the same according to policies and procedures. offenders do not have access to the internet. that is state-wide. before you decide to comment maybe you should do your research
Oct 2, 2012
Javier Pinto it is not allowed to be done within the prison gates. these profiles are of offenders who have been incarcerated and are now released, or ones they had that are ran by someone else while they are incarcerated
Oct 2, 2012
as a former correctional officer for tdcj, I personally know that offenders have no access to the internet… there is one computer with access within the main facilities and facebook is blocked. these offenders make profiles after being released, or have had them before being incarcerated and someone else is running it while they are incarcerated.
Oct 2, 2012
that is EXACTLY RIGHT,SOMEONE I KNOW IS DOING THAT RIGHT NOW,so no DENNIS they do not have direct internet access
Oct 2, 2012
This story is poorly written! It should say somewhere that the inmates do not have access to the internet.
Oct 2, 2012
No where in the original post does it mention tdcj facilities. "The only access prisoners have to computers are certain educational sites, no web access at all." This is not true for prisoners.
Oct 3, 2012
PRISONERS SHOULD NOT HAVE THE PRIVELEGE OF BEING ON FB or any other access to the WEB! Seriously? Your in jail for GOD's sake! WTH?
Oct 3, 2012
Facebook? What happend to peeling potatos and smashing stones with hammers?
Oct 3, 2012
Yeah forget the crap about the guard…Criminals with access to the internet??? Yeah that's a great idea.
Oct 3, 2012
In the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, these guys DO NOT have access to the internet. The officer in question knew the guy from high school and friended him, not knowing that he was serving time. I am a TDCJ employee and 4 years ago, I friended someone who I had gone to school with since early grade school. I've know this person just shy of 30 years and I had NO idea that right after we graduated, he did 7 years for drug crimes. I found this out last year. Did I defriend him? no. Does that make me a bad officer? no. I think the state is doing a good thing, evaluating issues on a case by case basis. Will there be people friending inmates for the wrong reasons… absolutely. This isn't a perfect world or a perfect working environment and you will always have people with malicious intentions. But most of us are good people who work hard to keep the public safe and put our own lives on the line to keep inmates behind bars where they are supposed to be. And I don't think that 90% should be punished for the actions of the other 10%.
Oct 3, 2012
At my unit (A TDCJ facility), inmates do not have internet access AT ALL! Not even for educational reasons!
Oct 3, 2012
Glad to hear it!
Oct 16, 2012
Just because someone is in prison doesn't mean they can't get access to the same stuff we have on the outside. Being incarcerated doesn't stop them from doing something they're not allowed to do or have. I know plenty of former inmates thay
Oct 16, 2012
Ugh! I accidently hit the comment button. Anyway what I knowmeant from former inmates and just from being familiar with the system (on the right side lol) they can get pretty much anything on the inside that we can get on the outside. If they want it bad enough they will find a way. And as for FB being blocked if they have the brains to work around whatever firewall or whatever it's called to gain access to blocked sites.