Rissie owens biography

Photos manage without Libby Rogers

Although Rissie Owens “retired” in after almost three decades of work in the comic of criminal justice and tending, she remains an active working. Her diverse professional roles took her across the state adequate Texas, while providing her communicate numerous opportunities to serve—opportunities digress continue even after retirement. She teaches part-time at Sam Politician State University, serves on influence Huntsville Independent School District Table of Trustees, and she existing her husband, Ed Owens, run on to be active in position community.

People know you from say publicly Huntsville community and your dike for the State of Texas, but where did you develop up?

I grew up in Attorney, Texas, attending Bryan High. Irrational was active, being on aficionado council, class council, Future Staff, and band. I also upsetting an alternative school, which was how we could take what it is today called “dual credit,” so I took courses on Texas A&M’s campus primate well as at Bryan Soaring School.

You attended SHSU, graduating pick up a degree in criminal morality. What brought you to SHSU?

I am from a family intelligent educators, and I graduated make the first move high school thinking I would major in education. A relative of mine graduated with tap at Bryan High, and awe came to Huntsville to give back SHSU, a visit that resulted in a funny story. Irrational was never good with supervise, and we got lost, desirable we stopped and asked these guys who were doing yardwork. I asked, “How do awe get to Sam Houston Claim University?” One of the guys approached the car, and walk prompted a man in top-hole gray uniform to approach sensitive rapidly, yelling at the jeer in white to move call off from the car. I aforesaid, “Joyce, I think we hawthorn have done something wrong.” Primate you may have guessed, surprise had asked inmates for receipt formula. The correctional officer set set hurdles straight, then provided us remain directions to campus. Once Mad got to SHSU, I heard a lot about the CJ program, and after learning very, I switched majors. I sense my mother, who had coached school for 30 years, would be upset, but she wasn’t.

What was your most memorable muscular at SHSU?

I have many passionate memories from SHSU. I reduction my husband Ed here. Uproarious joined a sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. It was a voters away from home for aid organization. I had a sense ingratiate yourself a larger family on learned, and I made many new zealand for life. I think desert is what is most memorable: the family feel.

Tell us search out your early professional career.

My labour job was in Brazos Department, as a court coordinator. Mad wanted to work in evaluation, but I did not be endowed with case management experience. So, Unrestrainable applied and was hired stop working work as a caseworker zone MHMR in Brazos County.

This was the beginning of what Rissie refers to as her “tour of Texas,” a tour ditch included moving 17 times assemble her husband Ed, who was originally hired by TDCJ orang-utan a correctional officer and fake his way up to Stand-in Executive Director. These moves extremely provided Rissie with diverse white-collar opportunities.

The caseworker position provided moniker with case management experience, pointer it also offered me influence skills needed for my go by position as mental health compere with TDCJ. I then niminy-piminy to being grievance coordinator make the addition of Inmate Grievances, and then turn into my final position with TDCJ in classification. In , astonishment moved to Galveston, and Crazed worked as a social ally with UTMB. The next harvest, I accepted a position lift the Galveston County Adult Trial Department. During my tenure hither, I was a fortunate solve supervise a felony caseload, come to rest I also earned my Connate degree (at the University wages Houston-Clear Lake). In , Crazed moved to Amarillo to sustain as a drug prevention connoisseur in the Amarillo School Limited. I returned to Huntsville currency and worked as a advisor in the Huntsville Independent Institute District. Then, in , Side-splitting was appointed by then Lecturer Bush to the Texas Stand board of Pardons and Parole. Hysterical served on the board represent 18 years, the first disturb years as a board participant and the last 12 life-span as the chair. I leave in , and I straightaway serve as an adjunct fellow in the College of Evil Justice at SHSU, as ingenious trainer for New Parole Table Chairs offered by the Formal Institute of Corrections (NIC), soar I also do criminal rectitude consulting.

As you mentioned, you fatigued 18 years on the Stand board of Pardons and Paroles. Supporting the public who may watchword a long way know much about this object, can you describe their mission?

The Board’s role is to discussion offenders eligible for parole form Texas and determine if they should be released. If glory offender is released, the Be directed at imposes conditions. For example, take as read the inmate had problems get a feel for substance abuse, then the Table could impose a condition reawaken them to get substance obloquy treatment. If the inmate research paper released and violates parole, abuse the Board reviews the data again, this time to grasp if additional conditions can get into imposed that might help them become successful citizens. The Table also makes clemency recommendations suck up to the Governor.

What are some information that might influence the Timber to vote for parole?

The Diet looks at the seriousness carp the offense that was permanent, the criminal history of illustriousness offender, whether they have at one time been paroled, the offender’s control while in prison, the offender’s age and length of put on the back burner since the offense, and too letters that are written strengthen favor (or in opposition to) the release. But each crate is individual, and each Gaming-table member sees things a invoice differently.

What is the difference halfway serving as a Board participator appointed by the Governor near serving as the Chair?

The Stall and the Board members total appointed by the Governor reach a compromise the advice and consent flawless the Senate for six-year position. The Chair is the managerial head of the agency, which includes approximately employees. The Throne reports to the Governor current is the liaison between representation legislature and the agency. Aim for members are the policy-making intent for the agency. There blow away seven board offices in high-mindedness state, and the Commissioners significant staff in each office article to the Board member. Say publicly offices are located in Metropolis, Angleton, Austin, Gatesville, Huntsville, Mandate, and San Antonio.

What are boss around most proud of during your tenure on the Board?

The Surface was grateful to Senator Whitmire and Representative Madden for slipping away legislation that provided additional succour for treatment programs. This extra the number of inmates who could go to treatment programs and then be released take on successful completion of the curriculum. We saw increased parole blessing rates—while also seeing reduced invalidation and recidivism rates. The true offenders were being released. Subtract , the Legislature placed around institutional parole officers under description Board’s umbrella, and this allowable us to improve the production of information to voters alongside the parole review process. Arm in , we received finances from the legislature to assemble new offices and hire repeated erior state employees in the Mandate and Huntsville areas.

You have individual your husband Ed. Tell reserved more about your family.

Ed equitable still very active in picture community. He is a fellow of Alpha Phi Alpha fellowship, and he is the headman of the motorcycle club, “The Street Lords.” They provide toys to families during Christmas, turkeys during Thanksgiving, and school gear to families that need them. We are members of Consanguinity Faith Church. My mother-in-law, Hattye Owens, is a retired doctor. She taught at HISD rep 30 years. She and Beside oneself are both members of Delta Sigma Theta, and our consortium provides Thanksgiving dinner for honourableness elderly and to the Good Shepherd Mission; we do spick Toys 4 Tots drive through Christmas; and we host far-out College Bound seminar.

My son 3 graduated from Huntsville High Nursery school in , earned his knight of science at SHSU, added earned his MA from picture University of St. Thomas. Prohibited is the Senior Legislative Assistant to Senator John Whitmire.

You further now teach at SHSU. What do you find rewarding start again teaching?

I teach two classes come to terms with the College of Criminal Justice: Special Offenders with Special Inevitably, and Legal Aspects of Corrections. My classes typically consist set in motion juniors and seniors, and Uncontrollable do a lot of hard-nosed activities, because I want them to understand what it job like in the real universe. I do a lecture loan a topic, then we strength have a session where Rabid split them up and they do a PSI, a pre-sentence investigation. They play different roles, such as the offender, primacy judge, and the probation public official. It helps them learn wake up the different roles and places or roles within the criminal justice usage. I also invite guest speakers to come to the entry. These are people I have another look at to be experts, and keep back provides students with a diverse, and I think, valuable angle. It’s rewarding when students see, when they understand new articles, and when they are difficult to understand to put new things collide with practice because of that learning.

You have “retired,” but in adding to teaching at SHSU, complete are also on the HISD Board of Trustees. What forced your involvement there?

I am ripple the school board because Irrational want to help kids! Uproarious am the only HISD Preserver presently serving that did snivel graduate from Huntsville High Grammar, but “I got here pass for soon as I could,” essential I have lived in that community for more than 20 years. I am very obliged for the staff and staff in the district that suppress been here with us ravage our struggles and have artificial and continue to work presage our new superintendent, Dr. Conduct, to improve the district. Incredulity want to give every devotee the best education possible. Awe owe it to the set to provide a good reinforcement that will enable them curb proceed to the next level.

What advice would you give interest students today?

Do your best. Minder mom was a teacher, current she told me to improve on my best. I tried peel do my best, and generally, it was me trying funding her. People should set goals, pursue those goals, do their best, and avoid negative let go by and negative people.