In 1995, MTC was awarded a contract to operate the Bradshaw State Jail, in Henderson, Texas, for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The Bradshaw operation was transferred to another operator in 2004. But with the contract to operate the East Texas Treatment Facility several years ago, the MTC partnership with Henderson was far from over. Add to that MTC’s Billy Moore Correctional Center in nearby Overton, and Bradshaw became the third MTC facility in the Henderson area when the contract was returned to MTC on September 1, 2017.

Henderson Mayor Buzz Fullen spoke about the city’s ongoing relationship with MTC.

“We, I say we, the city,” he says, “and the county; I can speak for the county also. We have really, really had good relations, and good partnerships, here with MTC.”

The Bradshaw State Jail has a capacity to serve 1,980 men and employs 247 staff. The programming opportunities at the facility have expanded considerably since MTC returned in 2017.

“The offenders, you know, they’re eager,” explains Bradshaw’s Warden David Driskell. “They want those programs, and we certainly want to make as many things as we can available to them.”

Trenton Clark, a resident of the facility, describes a program he’s particularly been impressed with.

“It’s called “Story Time”, and the warden is all about it, the major’s all about it. Where we can come in and they record us reading books to our kids. That just says a lot about the place in itself, because you don’t get that. I was shocked. I was able to do it, I was able to participate in it. It’s just something positive. What I think staff has done with all that has been a positive thing for my kids, they’ve benefitted from it, and like I said, again, you don’t get that, just everywhere.”

The community has noted the MTC difference in operating a correctional facility.

“This is not the same,” says Mayor Fullen. This is more one on one, more contact, more helping lives, helping people change their lives, and guiding them in the right direction, it appears to be. So, I’m really impressed.”

Lajuan Latson is also a resident of the facility.

“This is the only facility that I have been to, while I have been incarcerated – in other states, in other facilities – that you can walk up on the warden and talk to the warden about your problem. Walk up on the captain, walk up on the major and tell them about a situation. They’ll try to help out. So, this facility? It’s a little different.”