Federal Act Increases Courthouse Security
By: Lauren Murphy
Updated: January 9, 2008
Courthouses all around the country could soon be a little bit safer thanks to a new bill.
President Bush signed the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007, which provides for increased security at federal and state courthouses around the country, and increases the penalties threatening court employees.
When Judge Brad Underwood first took the bench twenty years ago, he didn't think much about security until July 1, 1992, a deadly courthouse shooting in Fort Worth.
"That was a huge awakening for all of us in the justice system that these things can happen, and can happen in Texas," said Underwood.
Since then Underwood has seen his share of courthouse violence, like back in 2000, when an inmate got away from sheriff's deputies, locked himself in the bathroom, and jumped from a third floor window.
Another time, a killer was nearly attacked by the victim's brother.
"For the first and only time in my career I pushed the panic button."
Another inmate threatened his very life.
"It was a letter from him to me telling me exactly what he was going to do to me and my family. He was very graphic about what he intended to do."
Just about every judge he knows has had a similar situation, and lost more than a little sleep.
"You have to wonder, what did they mean? Are they capable of carrying this out? Is my family going to be safe, that sort of thing, so all of us have experienced that."
The judge say increased security in vital in any courtroom, but especially in family courts.
"In family law everybody is mad. It's those cases the disgruntled husband or wife that may have had their children taken away. Those are the cases were very concerned about and historically those are the cases we have the least amount of security."
Underwood say courtroom safety starts at the door, and he hopes the Court Security Improvement Act will finally make this a reality in Lubbock County.
"What the judges in Lubbock County are asking for is perimeter security. Lets check everybody coming into the courthouse."
The sheriff's office is in the funding stages of getting x-rays and metal detectors on all the entrances at Lubbock County Courthouse.
There's no firm deadline on when they will be installed.
