Texas. Legislature. Joint Penitentiary Visiting Committee

The Texas Joint Penitentiary Visiting Committee was a special committee created by a joint concurrent resolution passed on January 25, 1887 by the 20th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, to investigate the management, condition, and operation of the Texas State Penitentiaries.

The committee visited the various units of the Texas State Penitentiary system including several farms, the Rusk State Penitentiary foundry, and the Huntsville prison. The committee, in their report to the legislature, found that the prisoners had adequate food, clothing, and medical attention and concluded that, for the most part, they were being well-treated. While the committee was generally pleased with the management of the penitentiary system, it did have several suggestions for improvements and included these in their report to the legislature on February 3, 1887.

(Sources include: the guide survey completed for this material.)