Darrington Unit

Aerial photograph, U.S. Geological Survey - January 25, 1995

Topographic map, U.S. Geological Survey - July 1, 1984

The Darrington Unit (DA) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) men's prison located in unincorporated Brazoria County, Texas,^[1] near Sandy Point,^[2] The unit is along Farm to Market Road 521, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Rosharon,^[1] and south of Houston.^[3] The prison has about 6,770 acres (2,740 ha) of land. The prison has the Region III Administrative Office of the Windham School District.^[1] Regional Director: Paul Angelo Morales

History

The unit opened in 1917.^[1] The TDCJ believes that the unit was named after the original landowners of the area occupied by the prison.^[4] The "Wasn't That a Mighty Storm" was first recorded by John A. Lomax in 1934 at Darrington, sung by "Sin-Killer" Griffin who claimed authorship.^[2] In 1935 Darrington housed African American prisoners.^[5]

In 1963, before racial desegregation occurred, the facility housed white second offenders.^[6] In the late 1980s, Darrington housed a lot of leaders of prison gangs. In 1986 and 1987 a 12-foot (3.7 m) high gunwalk was built, overseeing 13 recreation yards; the walk allows prison guards to easily shoot and kill raging prisoners.^[7]

In 2011 the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary will open a training program in Darrington.^[8]

Operations

The Darrington Unit is within the attendance zone of the Alvin Community College. Darrington was included through H.B. No. 2744,^[9] filed on March 6, 2007.^[10] Regional Director: Paul Angelo Morales

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Darrington Unit." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.
2. ^ ^{a b} Hinckley, D. (2008-09-12). NY Daily News "Singing up a 'Mighty Storm' in Galveston". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/09/12/2008-09-12_singing_up_a_mighty_storm_in_galveston.html NY Daily News. Retrieved 2010-09-03. 
3. ^ "Texas and Region." Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. September 12, 2010. Retrieved on November 19, 2010.
4. ^ "1995 Annual Report." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on July 21, 2010.
5. ^ Trulson, Chad R., James W. Marquart, and Ben M. Crouch. First Available Cell: Desegregation of the Texas Prison System. University of Texas Press, 2009. 81. Retrieved from Google Books on July 16, 2010. ISBN 0292719833, 9780292719835.
6. ^ Trulson, Chad R., James W. Marquart, and Ben M. Crouch. First Available Cell: Desegregation of the Texas Prison System. University of Texas Press, 2009. 82. Retrieved from Google Books on July 16, 2010. ISBN 0292719833, 9780292719835.
7. ^ Toth, John. "Prison guards will `shoot to kill' inmates to stop deadly violence of gangs." Houston Chronicle. Sunday September 21, 1986. Section 3, Page 1. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
8. ^ Ward, Mike. "Officials say graduates would minister to other prisoners." Austin American-Statesman. Friday September 10, 2010. Retrieved on September 27, 2010.
9. ^ "H.B. No. 2744." Texas Legislature. Retrieved on March 11, 2011. "(3) the territory located in Brazoria County, situated to the west of the Alvin Community College District boundary as it existed on January 1, 2003, extending west to the eastern border of Fort Bend County, and south to County Roads 49, 34, and 255, including the City of Rosharon and the Darrington and Ramsey Units of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice."
10. ^ "Bill: HB 2744." Texas Legislature. Retrieved on March 11, 2011.

External links

	Texas portal
	Houston portal
	Criminal justice portal

• "Darrington Unit." Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
• Collier, Keith. "Southwestern holds convocation inside maximum security prison." Southwestern Theological Baptist Seminary. September 2, 2011.