Texas Death Row Lets Its Inmates Mingle

For the first time in decades, Texas death row inmates are experiencing a change in daily life: no handcuffs, no solitary, and—for a select group—a taste of community. After more than 25 years of near-total isolation sparked by a notorious 1998 escape, the Polunsky Unit in Livingston has loosened its grip on solitary confinement for a small pilot group of well-behaved prisoners. These men now spend several hours a day together—talking, eating, praying, even watching TV—without restraints, per the Houston Chronicle.

• This shift comes after years of research highlighting the psychological toll of solitary, with studies linking long-term isolation to paranoia, psychosis, and higher suicide risk. "The basic harmfulness of solitary confinement is now a largely settled scientific fact," says psychology professor Craig Haney. In 2023, some death row prisoners in Texas even sued the state over their confined conditions, per the Texas Tribune.
• Now, some inmates say the new routine has improved their mental health and relationships, and staff report fewer problems and a calmer environment. "It's definitely helped give them something to look forward to," says Daniel Dickerson, a former warden who spearheaded the group recreation idea.

• The Texas move follows a national trend. States from Louisiana to Arizona have eased death row restrictions, and California is dismantling its death row entirely. In Texas, the pilot program has gone smoothly—no fights, escapes, or overdoses—though its future remains unclear after an unexplained pause in expansion.
• For men like Rudy Medrano and Eugene Broxton, the changes are profound. After years of living alone and communicating through vents and food slots, they're relearning the basics of compromise and community. "It made me feel a little bit human again after all these years," says Robert Roberson, another participant.
• The program has even caught the attention of Sister Helen Prejean, a prisoner advocate and death penalty abolitionist.