Understanding Polunsky Unit: What Families of Death‑Row Inmates Need to Know
If your loved one has been sentenced to death in Texas, you'll hear about the Polunsky Unit early and often. Here's what it is, where it is, and some grounded facts to help you navigate updates and news coverage.
The Allan B. Polunsky Unit houses male death-row inmates in Texas. Executions happen in Huntsville - a different location - so you may see both names come up as a case progresses.
Polunsky sits in Livingston, Texas. That city name is the key detail you'll spot in official updates and news reports when tracking where someone is housed.
The Allan B. Polunsky Unit is located in Livingston, Texas.
Transfers can happen quickly. In one reported case, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) received William George Davis at Polunsky on Oct. 29 - just two days after his death sentence.
One legal protection you may see referenced in news coverage is simple: correctional employees cannot engage in sexual acts with people in custody. Any allegation is treated seriously because the power imbalance means consent isn't truly possible.
In recent reporting tied to Polunsky, correctional officer Charlicia Pearl Augustine was arrested and charged with violating an inmate's civil rights in a sexual manner. According to reports, security footage showed sexual acts involving an inmate near the kitchen. Augustine was booked into Polk County Jail and held on a $15,000 bond.
Note: Sexual contact between staff and people in custody is illegal. If you see news about allegations at Polunsky or any unit, treat it as a report of an ongoing investigation and look for confirmed updates from official sources.
What This Means for Families
- ✓ Confirm housing location and status through official TDCJ information before you make plans or share updates with family
- ✓ Ask your loved one’s attorney how transfers, notices, and case milestones are typically communicated in their specific case
- ✓ Treat early reports (especially right after sentencing) as time-sensitive and double-check dates and wording
- ✓ Follow official announcements and reputable local reporting for developments, and keep screenshots/notes of what you’re told and when
The transfer example and staff-misconduct case above are single snapshots - not a blueprint for how every case unfolds. When you need certainty about where someone is housed, what a court decision means, or what comes next, verify through official channels and the person's legal team.
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