Innovation

Before there was a Criminal Justice Connections, there was the Newsletter, the semimonthly publication of the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC). Its purpose was “to promote and convey interdepartmental communications among the employees.”

In 1974, when Volume 11 was published, Dolph Briscoe was governor and W. J. Estelle Jr. was the TDC director. Along with pertinent agency news, employees could submit items they had for sale. The Newsletter also posted surplus produce that was offered to employees each month. For example, in the February 1974 issue, Linda Highley was selling her 1969 Simca and employees could purchase up to 10 pounds of turnip bottoms for six cents a pound.