Garza West Unit: Everything You Need To Know About Garza West

This article discussed Garza West Unit: Everything You Need To Know About Garza West. In this article we have explained everything you need to know about Garza West Unit and shared the questions you might be asking.

Garza West Unit: Everything You Need To Know About Garza West
Garza West Unit: Everything You Need To Know About Garza West

Garza West Unit is a mixed medium security prison that houses inmates ranging from minimum G1 to medium G3 security level inmates as well as transient custody levels.

The facility spans over 304 acres (approx. 123 ha) of land. The facility rests on the grounds of Chase Field Industrial Complex in the unincorporated part of Bee County, Texas, near the city of Beeville. The facility is co-located with the Garza East Unit, which was originally called Chase Field East Unit when it opened in 1994. Garza East, like Garza West, was a transfer unit for minimum and medium security inmates. Garza East Unit closed down in 2020.

The Unit is dedicated to holding adult male inmates. The Garza West Unit can hold 2,278 inmates. Garza West Unit is responsible for the initial intake of inmates from the surrounding region into the Texas Department of Corrections after their sentence is decided.

The facility then conducts processing of their information and history to decide where they will be sent to serve their sentence permanently.

During the intake process, inmates have to undergo a variety of tests and assessments, which include a substance abuse screening.

After the intake process is complete, inmates are assigned a security classification and if their classification is high, they may be transferred to a long-term commitment facility that best suits the rehabilitation needs of the inmates.

Originally called The Chase Field West Unit, the Garza West Unit was renamed after Raul "Rudy" Garza, Sr. (1944-2012), who was a Beeville city council member that worked at the Chase Field Industrial Complex for many years.

The prison employs a total of 401 employees, which include 311 security employees, 81 non-security employees, 9 Windham education employees, 42 contracts medical, and five mental health employees. The facility is operated under the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

The unit opened in May 1994 and has since remained functional. The facility lies four miles east of Highway 181 South on Highway 202 in Bee County in the U.S. state of Texas.

Garza West Unit is located on the grounds of Chase Field Industrial Complex, also formerly called Naval Air Station Chase Field, a former naval air station. The TDCJ operates a group of facilities on the grounds of the former air station, collectively referred to as the Chase Field Criminal Justice Center.

These facilities include the Correctional Institutions Division Region IV Office, two transfer facilities (Garza East Unit which is now defunct, and Garza West Unit), and the Beeville Distribution Center.

Rehabilitation facilities at Garza West Unit

Inmates at Garza West Unit are encouraged to take classes for adult literacy and adult basic education and can obtain their GED during their incarceration.

Vocational training is provided to inmates in plumbing, repair, and maintenance. The facility operations of Garza West are under unit maintenance as well, which gives inmates plenty of chances to do work on-site.

Additionally, inmates at the Garza West Unit are provided work opportunities in agricultural operations which include working in the Unit’s garden, regional pest control, and caring for security pack canines. Because Garza West Unit is a transfer facility, manufacturing and agricultural operations available to inmates are limited.

Off-site medical, mental health, and dental services are provided to all inmates at Garza West Unit. The facility does not run any manufacturing and logistics operations as it is only a transfer facility where most inmates do not stay for long before being assigned to a permanent institution to serve their sentence.
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Educational services at Garza West Unit are provided by the Windham School District (WSD). WSD is a non-geographical school district whose mission is to provide educational services to inmates in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

WSD isn’t under TDCJ. It is a separate entity that operates in prisons under TDCJ. The headquarters of WSD is located in Building B in the Wynne Unit in Huntsville, Texas. WSD operates schools on 89 sites around the state. Although many prisoners at Garza West Unit do not stay for a long while before being transferred out, for those that do, educational programs are necessary.

Inmates at Garza West Unit begin at the level of an American sixth-grader when they start an educational program. After earning adult basic education, inmates can qualify for adult secondary education. They are provided everything they need to prepare for the GED test and pass the exam to get their diplomas.

How do we search inmates in the Garza West Unit?

When an inmate is sent to the Garza West Unit, their information is subsequently added to TDCJ’s database.

For families who are not certain whether a particular inmate has been transferred out or serving at Garza West Unit, information about an inmate incarcerated at the Garza West Unit can be obtained by following several steps.

First and foremost, what they would need to know are the offender's first and last name and ID number. Upon being incarcerated at Garza West Unit, inmates that are not to be transferred anywhere else are assigned unique IDs which act as their identity, and while looking for them, this ID plays a key role.

To find any information on a particular inmate, start by heading over to and browsing the Garza West Unit’s database by providing the inmate's first name, last name, and ID number.

Other than using the website, you can also call the Garza West Unit visitor Information Line at (361)-358-9890 (**095). Upon receiving the correct credentials, the facility will disclose the information you want about the inmate, which could be about their prison account, visiting regulations, or other prison policies. Some inmates might not have the privilege of getting visitors before being transferred to a permanent facility.

To confirm, you may visit the Garza West Unit and get the required information about an inmate directly. Moreover, if the offender hasn’t recorded your name in their visitor’s list, you won’t be allowed to meet them.

What type of facilities is available at the Garza West Unit?

The Garza West Unit doesn’t deny the inmate’s right to be productive. It provides them with many facilities such as education, work, and rehabilitation. Following are some of the major facilities available at the Garza West Unit.

  • Educational Programs: All inmates at Garza Unit can participate in educational programs and are encouraged to take part in the study of literacy (Adult Basic Education/GED preparation and test), CHANGES/pre-release program, as well as cognitive intervention. These educational programs are all provided by WSD, which also provides necessary study material for the preparation of tests.
  • Career and Technology Programs: The facility provides work opportunities to prisoners so they can keep themselves busy and where they can learn while working. Some of these programs include bricklaying/stone masonry, construction, and carpentry.
  • Medical Capabilities: Garza West Unit has medical assistance available for inmates, managed by the University of Texas Medical Board. These services include ambulatory medical, dental, and mental health services. Advanced medical techniques and services like Digital Medical Services (DMS) are also available to inmates. All medical services at Garza West Unit are provided on a single level, including CPAP accommodating housing. Inmates are provided with offender intake/receiving, substance abuse screening, and assessment programs to help with addictions and their treatment.
  • Additional Programs/Services: Inmates may take part in programs like Faith-Based Dormitory (two-year program), Adult Education Programs (basic and secondary), peer education, chaplaincy services, religious activities, and GO KIDS initiative, which is to support the kids of prisoners.
  • Community Work Projects: No community work projects are provided to inmates because it is a transfer facility. Many prisoners are transferred out soon after coming here. As the transfer facility is located in an unincorporated area, it isn’t exactly easy to provide opportunities for community work projects.
  • Volunteer Initiatives: Inmates are encouraged and invited to take part in programs relating to literacy and education, employment and job skills, substance abuse education, life skills, parenting courses, support groups, victims awareness, family visitation centers, religious or faith-based studies, and activities.

Is the Garza West Unit dangerous?

Garza West Unit has been an ACA-accredited unit since April 2007. The ACA accreditation means that the facility has been approved to have a good humane standard of living that does not rob inmates of their human rights as set up by the United Nations.

Garza West Unit isn’t particularly dangerous for either inmates or working officers. The reason is that it is a transfer facility. Transfer facilities do not house high-risk felons. Most medium security prisoners are sent off to other facilities as well. The people that remain here are either those awaiting transfer or those that are minimum security inmates.

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These people pose little to no threat to anyone. Their sentences are too short to involve themselves in unnecessary trouble anyway.

They choose to stay busy with other activities and various programs provided by the facility. The facility provided special programs for those suffering from substance abuse and various kinds of addiction. It also has some anger management counseling and programs that help those who are seeking it. In conclusion, Garza West Unit is safe for everyone.

Visiting Hours of Garza West Unit

The Garza West Unit allows inmates to receive visits from people that have been listed in the prisoner’s visitation list, which the inmates establish when they begin their sentence. They are allowed to update it periodically.

General population offenders incarcerated at the Garza West Unit are allowed to receive visits on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7 am to 5 pm. Inmates who are set to be transferred out may not be allowed to receive visits.

The duration of a standard visit at Garza Unit is two hours, although this duration may be shortened if there is overcrowding at the facility or some unexpected circumstances have occurred which may cause the visit to be cut short. Visitors are thoroughly searched before they meet the inmate. Their cars are also searched once they are on facility grounds and canines are involved.

Visitors must have some form of identification with them which could be their state ID, passport, driver’s license, etc. Special visits can be arranged in case someone is traveling over 300 miles to visit the inmate. These visits must be fixed in advance and are twice as long as standard visits. Spiritual visits by religious personnel other than family need to be approved by the warden’s office.

How to contact the Garza West Unit?

You can use one of the following methods to contact the Garza West Unit and receive any information on the inmate you may need.

Visiting the Facility: Go to the facility and get the required information from their information center. There, you can make queries and learn anything, from visitation policies, dress codes, and other prison regulations. The address is Garza West Transfer Facility, 4250 Highway 202, Beeville, TX 78102, United States.

Phone Number: You can contact the Garza West Unit by calling (361)-358-9890 (**095). You can set up an account on JPay to send messages to an inmate at Garza West Unit. Inmates have access to phones during approved daytime hours when they can call you after paying the call fees. All the calls are monitored by the staff of Garthe za West Unit. If you have questions, you may want to call the Ombudsman Visitation Hotline at (936) 437-4927 or toll-free at (844) 476-1289. The hotline is open on weekends from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Visiting the Website: Visit the official website of the Garza West Unit and go through their database to reach a particular inmate. The mailing address for inmate mail looks like this:

Inmate Name, ID Number

​Garza West Transfer Facility

4250 Highway 202

Beeville, TX 78102

FAQs

  • How to send money to the inmates in the Garza West Unit? To send money to inmates at Garza West Unit, you can choose one of these methods: JPay (using Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card), Access Corrections, eCommDirect (using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Card), money orders, and cashier’s check with a deposit slip to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX 77342-0060.
  • Is the Garza West Unit a pre-release unit? Garza West Unit offers pre-release programs to help inmates get back into society without feeling disconnected. Although, it doesn’t have many pre-release programs, as most of the inmates are transferred out to other facilities.
  • Who is the warden at the Garza West Unit? Michael Crow serves as the senior warden at Garza West Unit. David Blackwell serves as the Regional Director of Region IV, while Eric Guerrero is the Deputy Division Director.
  • Is the Garza West Unit safe for workers? The Garza West Unit is safe for all work staff. Being a transfer facility for minimum and medium security prisoners, the facility does not have many security issues.
  • Is the Garza West Unit violent? No, Garza West Unit does not house high-profile criminals which greatly reduces the chance of violence. Staff and inmates are safe, and there have been no reports of violence at the prison.
  • What are some rules to follow when visiting someone at Garza West Unit? Some important things to remember before visiting someone at the Garza West Unit are: Tobacco, lighters, matches, drugs or alcohol, cell phones, cameras, recording devices, or any other types of electronics are not allowed to be brought inside the facility. Creating unnecessary noise or disruption by blasting music anywhere on the facility grounds is strictly prohibited. Bringing contraband or paper currency is not allowed. Visitors that fail to abide by the rules may be removed from the facility.
  • What is the dress code at the Garza West Unit? Sunglasses, hats, masks, bandanas, and any other piece of clothing covering the face aren't allowed. Tight-fitted, sheer, see-through clothing, or clothes that expose huge parts of the skin like breasts, back, and midriff, are all prohibited. All kinds of uniforms are prohibited. Visitors wearing clothes with offensive and profane signs or language may not be allowed to proceed with the visit.

Garza West Unit Photos

Garza West Unit Photos
Garza West Unit Photos
Garza West Unit Photos
Garza West Unit Photos


Garza West Unit Reviews by Inmates

The Garza West Unit keeps in line with the standards set by ACA and has been accredited for nearly two decades now. For a transfer facility, Garza West has a fair reputation.

Inmates have reported that the staff doesn’t abide by the rules. Inmates found the rest of the facilities provided at the Unit to be adequate.

Some inmates reported being treated in a humiliating way, claiming that the staff ridiculed them by throwing their food onto dirty trays. However, considering the reputation of most correctional centers, Garza West Unit fares pretty well.

Garza West Unit, Beeville, Texas

Garza West Unit is a minimum to medium security transfer facility with a bunch of opportunities for the correction of inmates.

The facility offers facilities for education, vocational skills, working, and rehabilitation. Inmates at Garza West Unit can receive visits from family and friends while imprisoned.

The Garza West Unit is safe for inmates and officers, although some staff may not be very well behaving. Garza Unit essentially has all the capabilities to spend productive time at a prison facility.

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