Texas. Legislature. Joint Penitentiary Investigating Committee

The Texas Joint Penitentiary Investigating Committee was created by Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 (37th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 1921) to investigate reports of cruelty to convicts and mismanagement in the Texas prison system.

The committee made trips to the Huntsville Penitentiary and the farms in the Texas prison system in February and April 1921, taking testimony from convicts, guards, farm managers and other prison officials on the living conditions of the prisoners and the means of discipline and punishment. The committee was especially interested in accounts of abuses and injuries to convicts and also investigated the general business management of the prison system, bookkeeping practices, and several financial deals involving prison officials and private businessmen. The committee submitted its final report to the Senate in July 1921, which included a synopsis of the testimony, findings of fact, and recommendations.

The committee met again in August 1921 to follow the directive of Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 (37th Legislature, 1st Called Session). The resolution asked the committee to investigate the killing of two convicts by prison guards at Eastham Farm in July 1921. The committee formed a subcommittee that heard testimony and presented its own report to the Senate in August 1921.

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