TDCJ COVID-19 Numbers Continue to Fall

Both Offender and Employee Cases Drop Below 1,000

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS –The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a major employer in both Anderson and Houston Counties. Prison facilities employ a significant number of workers and there are at least 20 prisons in the area to where people commute on a daily basis, including units in Huntsville, Rusk and Tennessee Colony.

The TDCJ numbers have been on a roller coaster ride throughout the summer and as the beginning of fall, the figures appear to be on the downhill side.

By Sept. 17, there were 913 active cases and 19,762 recoveries. Three weeks earlier, on Aug. 27, there were 1,086 active cases and 17,744 recoveries. The numbers on July 16 showed 2,241 active cases with 9,438 recoveries.

Just as the number of offenders testing positive for COVID-19 has decreased in recent weeks, the number of TDCJ employees testing positive has also started to fall.

By Sept. 17, there were 970 active cases among employees, with 3,661 recoveries. On Aug. 27, there were 1,063 active cases and 3,236 recoveries.

There are six regions in the TDCJ system along with private facilities, a multi-use facility and parole confinement facilities. Anderson County and Houston County fall in Region II and Region I, respectively.

In Region I there are 13 prison units, with one inside of Houston County and seven more relatively close to the county boundaries. These units are: Eastham; Ellis; Estelle; Ferguson; Goree; Holliday; Huntsville; and Wynne. 

In Region II there are also 13 prison units, with five inside of Anderson County. These units are: Beto; Coffield; Gurney Transfer; Michael; and Powledge.

Using the TDCJ categories of offender active cases, recoveries, medical isolation, employee active cases and employee recoveries, the 13 area prisons showed the following results.  

In Region I: 

Eastham Unit (Lovelady) – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active cases; 173 recoveries; and 234 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 11 active cases among TDCJ employees and 26 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there was: 1 active case; 368 recoveries; and 88 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 10 active cases among TDCJ employees and 25 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 56 active cases; 119 recoveries; and 182 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 14 active cases among TDCJ employees and 21 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 12 active cases; 106 recoveries; and 12 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 6 active case among TDCJ employees and 20 recoveries.

Ellis Unit (Huntsville area) – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active cases; 305 recoveries; and 209 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 18 active cases among TDCJ employees and 61 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 56 active cases; 119 recoveries; and 182 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 14 active cases among TDCJ employees and 21 recoveries. On Aug. 6, there were: 2 active cases; 330 recoveries; and 186 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 21 active cases among TDCJ employees and 48 recoveries. On July 30, there was: 1 active cases; 333 recoveries; and 1 offender in medical isolation. There were also 20 active case among TDCJ employees and 46 recoveries. 

Estelle Unit (Huntsville area) – On Sept. 17, there were: 7 active cases; 749 recoveries; and 336 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 30 active cases among TDCJ employees and 116 recoveries.   On Aug. 27, there were: 0 active cases; 323 recoveries; and 58 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 26 active cases among TDCJ employees and 53 recoveries. On Aug. 6, there were: 60 active cases; 578 recoveries; and 1,316 offenders on medical restriction. There was also 1 active case among TDCJ employees and 1 recovery. On July 30, there were: 56 active cases; 576 recoveries; and 58 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 47 active cases among TDCJ employees and 63 recoveries.

Ferguson Unit (Midway) – On Sept. 17, there was: 1 active case; 397 recoveries; and 134 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 21 active cases among TDCJ employees and 115 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 0 active cases; 557 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 27 active cases among TDCJ employees and 109 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 110 active cases; 319 recoveries; and 2,344 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 35 active cases among TDCJ employees and 99 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 377 active cases; 53 recoveries; and 377 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 87 active cases among TDCJ employees and 43 recoveries.

Goree Unit (Huntsville) – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active cases; 87 recoveries; and 2 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 3 active cases among TDCJ employees and 19 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there was: 1 active case; 80 recoveries; and 35 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 6 active cases among TDCJ employees and 16 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 0 active cases; 66 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 6 active cases among TDCJ employees and 12 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 0 active cases; 68 recoveries; and 0 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 4 active cases among TDCJ employees and 10 recoveries.

Holliday Transfer (Huntsville) – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active cases; 217 recoveries; and 1 offender on medical restriction. There were also 12 active cases among TDCJ employees and 32 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 3 active cases; 297 recoveries; and 52 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 10 active cases among TDCJ employees and 31 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 1 active cases; 268 recoveries; and 46 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 11 active cases among TDCJ employees and 26 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 8 active cases; 266 recoveries; and 8 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 11 active cases among TDCJ employees and 26 recoveries.

Huntsville Unit – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active case; 253 recoveries; and 2 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 2 active cases among TDCJ employees and 20 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 0 active cases; 255 recoveries; and 199 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 2 active cases among TDCJ employees and 20 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 1 active cases; 259 recoveries; and 160 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 5 active cases among TDCJ employees and 17 recoveries. On July 30, there was: 1 active case; 261 recoveries; and 1 offender in medical isolation. There were also 6 active cases among TDCJ employees and 15 recoveries.

Wynne Unit (Huntsville) – On Sept. 17, there were: 0 active cases; 340 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 11 active cases among TDCJ employees and 92 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 0 active cases; 488 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 11 active cases among TDCJ employees and 92 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 2 active cases; 338 recoveries; and 625 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 16 active cases among TDCJ employees and 86 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 0 active cases; 335 recoveries; and 0 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 12 active cases among TDCJ employees and 84 recoveries.

In Region II:

Beto Unit (Palestine area) – On Sept. 17, there was: 1 active case; 309 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 5 active cases among TDCJ employees and 68 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there was: 1 active cases; 312 recoveries; and 1 offender on medical restriction. There were also 3 active cases among TDCJ employees and 65 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 1 active cases; 306 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 5 active cases among TDCJ employees and 60 recoveries. On July 30, there was: 1 active case; 307 recoveries; and 1 offender in medical isolation. There were also 6 active cases among TDCJ employees and 57 recoveries.

Coffield Unit (Palestine area) – On Sept. 17, there was: 1 active case; 816 recoveries; and 55 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 19 active cases among TDCJ employees and 50 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 3 active cases; 809 recoveries; and 334 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 33 active cases among TDCJ employees and 37 recoveries. On Aug. 6, there were: 22 active cases; 783 recoveries; and 1,268 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 33 active cases among TDCJ employees and 28 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 42 active cases; 759 recoveries; and 44 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 29 active cases among TDCJ employees and 26 recoveries.

Gurney Transfer (Palestine area) – On Sept. 17, there was: 2 active case; 149 recoveries; and 42 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 4 active cases among TDCJ employees and 29 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there was: 1 active cases; 187 recoveries; and 46 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 4 active cases among TDCJ employees and 27 recoveries. On Aug. 6, there were: 99 active cases; 157 recoveries; and 720 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 16 active cases among TDCJ employees and 12 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 3 active cases; 156 recoveries; and 3 offenders in medical isolation. There were also 3 active cases among TDCJ employees and 11 recoveries.

Michael Unit (Palestine area) – On Sept. 17, there were: 4 active cases; 431 recoveries; and 214 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 13 active cases among TDCJ employees and 87 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 3 active cases; 424 recoveries; and 124 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 12 active cases among TDCJ employees and 79 recoveries.   On Aug. 6, there were: 5 active cases; 419 recoveries; and 39 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 12 active cases among TDCJ employees and 66 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 7 active cases; 425 recoveries; and 7 offender in medical isolation. There were also 8 active cases among TDCJ employees and 64 recoveries.

Powledge Unit (Palestine area) – On Sept. 17, there were: 201 active case; 33 recoveries; and 517 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 15 active cases among TDCJ employees and 15 recoveries.  On Aug. 27, there were: 12 active cases; 12 recoveries; and 322 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 4 active cases among TDCJ employees and 10 recoveries.  On Aug. 6, there were: 0 active cases; 3 recoveries; and 0 offenders on medical restriction. There were also 4 active cases among TDCJ employees and 7 recoveries. On July 30, there were: 0 active cases; 3 recoveries; and 0 offenders in medical isolation. There were 7 active cases among TDCJ employees and 2 recoveries.

Since TDCJ began tracking the pandemic, system wide, 203,062 tests have been administered to offenders. Of those tested, 21,581 offenders have been positive for COVID-19. Of those who tested positive, 19,762 have recovered, 155 have presumably died because of the virus and there are 40 pending autopsies.

For TDCJ employees, 67,315 tests have been administered. Of those tested, 4,651 employees have been positive for COVID-19. Of those who tested positive, 3,661 have recovered and 20 have presumably died because of the virus. 

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].