Overview
George John Beto (1916-1991) is best known for his contributions to criminal justice, but his fame is not limited to this field. """"Walking George"""", authored by two of his former students, David M. Horton and George R. Nielsen, examines the entire life of Beto and his many achievements in the fields of both education and criminal justice - and how he wedded the two whenever possible. Beto initially studied to become a Lutheran pastor but instead was called to teach at Concordia Lutheran College in Austin, Texas. His successes there led him to revitalize a seminary in Springfield, Illinois, for three years, after which he left to become the director of the Texas Department of Corrections. Beto had no formal training in corrections, but during his years in Austin, he had served on the Texas Prison Board, a volunteer board that supervised the entire prison system. During his ten-year term as the director of the Texas Department of Corrections, Beto spearheaded many education and reform programs aimed at rehabilitating inmates. Most notable was his effort in 1969 to establish the Windham school district for educating inmates, the first of its kind at any prison in the United States. Beto's predilection to show up on foot in front of a given Texas prison, at all hours of the day and night, ready for an inspection and tour, earned him the nickname """"Walking George."""" After retiring as head of the Texas prison system in 1972, he became a professor at Sam Houston State University's College of Criminal Justice until 1991. His leadership and participation propelled it to become the most esteemed program in the country.
Full Product Details
Author: David M. Horton ,
George R. Nielsen
Publisher: University of North Texas Press,U.S.
Imprint: University of North Texas Press,U.S.
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 2.20cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.531kg
ISBN: 9781574411997
ISBN 10: 1574411993
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 17 August 2005
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
Few life histories are as meticulously researched and as scrupulously compiled as this biography of George Beto, which accurately depicts him as the dedicated educator, pastor, and correctional icon he was.
Author Information
DAVID M. HORTON is professor and director of the Criminal Justice Program at St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas. He is the coauthor of Lone Star Justice: A Comprehensive Overview of the Texas Criminal Justice System. GEORGE R. NIELSEN taught at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, from 1959 to 1997. His most recent book, Johann Kilian, Pastor is a biography of the pastor of the Wends at Serbin, Texas. He lives in Rapid Ciry, South Dakota.
