Jester III Unit

Beauford H. Jester III Unit
Location	3 Jester Road; Richmond, Texas 77406
Coordinates	29°37′22″N 95°42′12″W / 29.6227167°N 095.7034667°W
Status	Operational
Security class	G1-G3, Outside Trusty
Capacity	Unit: 810; Trusty Camp: 321
Opened	July 1982
Managed by	TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division
Warden	Lonnie Townsend
County	Fort Bend County
Country	USA
Website	www.tdcj.texas.gov/unit_directory/j3.html

Aerial view of the Jester State Prison Farm, January 27, 2002, U.S. Geographic Survey

The Beauford H. Jester III Unit (J3) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison farm located in unincorporated Fort Bend County, Texas, United States. The unit is along U.S. Highway 90A, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of central Richmond. The unit, which opened in July 1982 with about 940 acres (380 ha) of land, is co-located with Jester I Unit, Carol Vance Unit, and Jester IV Unit.^[1] Together with its trusty camp, it houses 1,131 inmates.

The unit was named after Governor of Texas Beauford H. Jester, the namesake for the entire prison farm. Jester III opened in 1982. The land that Jester III sits on was purchased in 1885 by the state.^[2]

In 2011 the prison's garment plant closed, and its operations were consolidated with the garment plant at Eastham Unit.^[3]

In 2011 a middle school, James Bowie Middle School, and a strip commercial center opened across the street from Jester III and Jester IV Unit.^[4]^[5]

Gallery

Topographical map of the Jester Prison Farm, to the west of the Central Prison Farm and Sugar Land Regional Airport, July 1, 1990, U.S. Geological Survey

References

^ "Jester III Unit Archived 2008-08-21 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.
^ Texas Dept of Criminal Justice. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Turner Publishing Company. 2004. 91.
^ Ward, Mike. "Prison industry programs a victim of economic recession." Austin American-Statesman. Sunday September 4, 2011. Retrieved on September 23, 2011.
^ Ward, Mike. "As prison closes, could others be next?" Austin American-Statesman. Thursday August 11, 2011. Updated on Friday August 12, 2011. Retrieved on September 23, 2011.
^ "FBISD names the district’s 14th middle school campus opening in August 2011 – James Bowie Middle School Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine." Fort Bend Independent School District. Retrieved on September 23, 2011. "James Bowie Middle School (Middle School #14), located at 700 Plantation Drive, in Richmond, Texas. "

External links

"Jester III Unit." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.

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[1] "Jester III Unit Archived 2008-08-21 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.

[Bookref-2] Texas Dept of Criminal Justice. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Turner Publishing Company. 2004. 91.

[3] Ward, Mike. "Prison industry programs a victim of economic recession." Austin American-Statesman. Sunday September 4, 2011. Retrieved on September 23, 2011.

[Whosnext-4] Ward, Mike. "As prison closes, could others be next?" Austin American-Statesman. Thursday August 11, 2011. Updated on Friday August 12, 2011. Retrieved on September 23, 2011.

[5] "FBISD names the district’s 14th middle school campus opening in August 2011 – James Bowie Middle School Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine." Fort Bend Independent School District. Retrieved on September 23, 2011. "James Bowie Middle School (Middle School #14), located at 700 Plantation Drive, in Richmond, Texas. "

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