Joe Kegans State Jail

Last updated
Joe Kegans Intermediate Sanctions Facility KegansJoeStateJail.jpg
Joe Kegans Intermediate Sanctions Facility

Joe Kegans Intermediate Sanctions Facility is an Intermediate Sanctions facility of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice located along the northeast edge of Downtown Houston, Texas. [1] The approximately 1 acre (0.40 ha) facility for men is located .5 miles (0.80 km) south of Interstate 10. [2]

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, and private correctional facilities, funding and certain oversight of community supervision, and supervision of offenders released from prison on parole or mandatory supervision. The TDCJ operates the largest prison system in the United States.

Downtown Houston Neighborhood of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States

Downtown is the largest business district in Houston, Texas, located near the geographic center of the metropolitan area at the confluence of Interstate 10, Interstate 45, and Interstate 69. The 1.84-square-mile (4.8 km2) district, enclosed by the aforementioned highways, contains the original townsite of Houston at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou, a point known as Allen's Landing. Downtown has been the city's preeminent commercial district since its founding in 1836.

Houston City in Texas, United States

Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States, with a census-estimated population of 2.312 million in 2017. It is the most populous city in the Southern United States and on the Gulf Coast of the United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the seat of Harris County and the principal city of the Greater Houston metropolitan area, which is the fifth most populous metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States and the second most populous in Texas after the Dallas-Fort Worth MSA. With a total area of 627 square miles (1,620 km2), Houston is the eighth most expansive city in the United States. It is the largest city in the United States by total area, whose government is similarly not consolidated with that of a county or borough. Though primarily in Harris County, small portions of the city extend into Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.

The detention facility building that Kegans uses first opened in February 1995 as a place to house nonviolent offenders in order to relieve prison overcrowding. The unit closed after four months of use because not enough inmates had been put there to justify the additional expenses. The building had been unoccupied for two years before it re-opened in 1997. The building was formally dedicated at 10 A.M. on Wednesday October 15, 1997. As of 1997 all prisoners at the unit are convicted of parole violations such as non-violent property crimes. [1] The unit was named after Joe Kegans, a state district judge who died in 1997 at 69 years of age. [3]

Prison overcrowding is a social phenomenon occurring when the demand for space in prisons in a jurisdiction exceeds the capacity for prisoners in the place.

The Kegans Jail, along with the Pam Lychner State Jail, serves state jail offenders from Harris County. As of 2001 Kegans serves lower risk offenders. [4]

Pam Lychner State Jail is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice state jail for men located in Atascocita, unincorporated northeast Harris County, Texas, United States, east of Humble. It is 20 miles northeast of Downtown Houston.

Related Research Articles

French M. Robertson Unit

The French M. Robertson Unit is a maximum-security state prison located on Farm to Market Road 3522 in Abilene, Texas, United States, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Downtown Abilene in Jones County. The prison for males, classified as a "prison," is operated by the Correctional Institutions Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, administered as within Region VI.

Huntsville Unit state prison in Huntsville, Texas, which includes the state execution chamber

Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville or Huntsville Unit (HV), nicknamed "Walls Unit", is a Texas state prison located in Huntsville, Texas, United States. The approximately 54.36-acre (22.00 ha) facility, near Downtown Huntsville, is operated by the Correctional Institutions Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), administered as within Region I. The facility, the oldest Texas state prison, opened in 1849.

Mountain View Unit

Mountain View Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison housing female offenders in Gatesville, Texas. The unit, with about 97 acres (39 ha) of land, is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of central Gatesville on Farm to Market Road 215. The prison is located in a 45-minute driving distance from Waco. In addition to its other functions, Mountain View Unit houses the state's female death row inmates.

Allan B. Polunsky Unit state prison in West Livingston, Texas formerly known as the Terrell Unit

Allan B. Polunsky Unit is a prison in West Livingston, unincorporated Polk County, Texas, United States, located approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Livingston along Farm to Market Road 350. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the facility. The unit houses the State of Texas death row for men, and it has a maximum capacity of 2,900. Livingston Municipal Airport is located on the other side of FM 350. The unit, along the Big Thicket, is 60 miles (97 km) east of Huntsville.

Federal Detention Center, Houston

The Federal Detention Center, Houston is a United States federal prison in Downtown Houston, Texas which holds male and female inmates prior to and during court proceedings, as well an inmates serving short sentences. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. It is in proximity to Minute Maid Park.

W.J. Estelle Unit

W. J. "Jim" Estelle Unit is a prison located on Farm to Market Road 3478 in unincorporated Walker County, Texas, United States, 10 miles (16 km) north of central Huntsville. The prison, with about 5,459 acres (2,209 ha) of space, is operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The unit, which opened in June 1984, was named after Ward James "Jim" Estelle, a former prison director of Texas.

Clemens Unit

Clemens Unit (CN) is a prison farm of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas in Greater Houston. The prison, with about 8,008 square feet (744.0 m2), is located at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 2004 and Texas State Highway 36. The prison, in the Texas Gulf Coast region, is in proximity to the City of Brazoria, and it is in proximity to the Velasco community, now a part of Freeport. The prison is situated south of Houston.

Wynne Unit

The John M. Wynne Unit (WY) is a men's prison of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, located in northern Huntsville, Texas, at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 2821 West and Texas State Highway 75 North. The Windham School District has its headquarters in the unit. Wynne, the second oldest prison in Texas, was named after John Magruder Wynne, who served as a prison employee and later as a board member of the prison system from 1878 to 1881. The unit, on a 1,412 acres (571 ha) plot of land, is co-located with the Holliday Unit.

Carol Vance Unit

Carol S. Vance Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison located in unincorporated central Fort Bend County, Texas. The unit, located in flatlands, is along U.S. Highway 90A, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of central Richmond. The facility is in proximity to Sugar Land, and it is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Downtown Houston. The unit, with about 940 acres (380 ha) of land, is co-located with Jester I Unit, Jester III Unit, and Jester IV Unit. The unit consists of four steel buildings and two brick buildings. The prison is the home of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative's Christian prison program. It is located on the Jester State Prison Farm property.

Christina Melton Crain Unit

The Christina Melton Crain Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for females in Gatesville, Texas. The prison is along Texas State Highway 36, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of central Gatesville. The unit, with about 1,317 square feet (122.4 m2) of space, is co-located with the Hilltop Unit, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, and the Linda Woodman Unit. The unit's regular program houses around 1,500 women, and it is one of Texas's main prisons for women. Female prison offenders of the TDCJ are released from this unit. With a capacity of 2,013 inmates, Crain is the TDCJ's largest female prison.

Ferguson Unit

Jim Ferguson Unit (FE) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for men located in unincorporated Madison County, Texas. The 4,355 acres (1,762 ha) prison is located on Farm to Market Road 247, near Midway and 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Huntsville.

Jester I Unit

The Beauford H. Jester I Unit (J1) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice substance abuse felony punishment facility (SAFPF) located in unincorporated Fort Bend County, Texas. The unit is situated at Harlem Road and Ken Drive, on about 940 acres (380 ha) of land, co-located with Carol Vance Unit, Jester III Unit, and Jester IV Unit which lie a little to its southeast. It is situated on the Jester State Prison Farm property. The current Warden is Monty Hudspeth, installed May 2012.

Mark Stiles Unit

Mark W. Stiles Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice men's prison located in an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Texas, near Beaumont. The unit, located along Farm to Market Road 3514, is 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of downtown Beaumont. The approximately 776 acres (314 ha) unit is co-located with the Gist Unit and the LeBlanc Unit.

Hilltop Unit

The Hilltop Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for women located in Gatesville, Texas. Originally opened in September of September 1981 as a Male first offender Unit, it is headed by Warden Jerry Gunnels. Hackberry School was the first opened then in October Sycamore was opened and housed SAT IV Construction inmates who were working on Gatesville Unit and Hilltop repairing and buildings and facilities. Until May 1982, when the Hilltop Unit proper was opened.

James H. Byrd Jr. Unit

The James "Jay" H. Byrd Jr. Unit (DU) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for men located in Huntsville, Texas. The 93 acres (38 ha) diagnostic unit, established in May 1964, is 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Downtown Huntsville on Farm to Market Road 247. The prison was named after James H. Byrd, a former prison warden.

Clements Unit

The William P. "Bill" Clements Unit (BC) is a state prison of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) located in unincorporated Potter County, Texas, United States, east of the City of Amarillo. It is located on Spur 591 off of Loop 335.

Harris County Jail

Harris County Jail is a jail complex that services Harris County. It is the main jail complex of the county and is located in the city of Houston. The complex lies in the peninsula formed by the Buffalo Bayou in northern Downtown Houston. While most of the complex is based on county jails serving Harris County, Joe Kegans State Jail is also located within the complex. The Harris County District Court is located just next to the jail complex.

References

  1. 1 2 Hanson, Eric. "Halfway house for inmates opens downtown / Nonviolent offenders to prepare for freedom." Houston Chronicle . Wednesday October 15, 1997. A29 MetFront. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  2. "Kegans Unit Archived 2008-09-26 at the Wayback Machine .." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  3. Makeig, John. "No-nonsense Judge Joe Kegans, 69, pioneer for women, dies." Houston Chronicle . Tuesday January 7, 1997. A12. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
  4. "State Jail Evaluation Summary Report Kegans State Jail." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. October 2000. Retrieved on July 2, 2010.

Coordinates: 29°45′50″N95°21′17″W / 29.7639°N 95.3546°W / 29.7639; -95.3546

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.