Correctional staff also can contribute to victimization, by doing mandatory strip searches that humiliate them or placing them in administrative segregation, or ad seg, for protection, which then worsens their mental health, Dr.
Nesbit's facility and ad seg still is frequently used.
The measures proposed by Marquez and Guillen would require agencies that house inmates to report how often they use ad seg, why they use it, which types of prisoners are isolated and what happens to prisoners who are confined alone for extended periods of time.
Kirk said that in local lockups like his, ad seg is used differently than in the TDCJ.
Sheriffs are already required to report to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards about their use of ad seg, Kirk said, though not in as much detail as the legislation would require.
John Carona, R-Dallas, which would require ad seg reports from TDCJ and TJJD but not from county jails.
"Inmate Fleming was placed in
Ad Seg after it was discovered that he attempted to impugn the credibility of [a prison industry program] by contacting the news media...."
In fiscal year 2012, more than 830 inmates were discharged from ad seg directly to the streets, according to the TDCJ.
Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, has filed House Bill 1266, which would create a task force to examine ad seg policies in both TDCJ and the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice.
Thomas lived for three years in ad seg on death row before he removed his second eye.
"I'm looking out for public safety that they're not in
Ad Seg their whole sentence and then they come back to the streets," Livingston said.