Frequently Asked Questions
Inmate General Information
Offender Orientation Handbook - Handbook designed to provide the TDCJ offender population with general information and a standard of acceptable conduct.
General Information Guide for Families of Offenders - Explains the intake process and provides a brief description of the offender program areas within TDCJ. Intended to assist the families of offenders in understanding how TDCJ operates.
- Intake
- Mail
- Visitation
- Trust Fund
- Commissary
- Family Assistance
- Education
- Job Training
- Religion
- Health
- Recreation
- Non Medical Emergency
- Absences
- Good Conduct Time
- Discipline
- Grievances
- Legal Assistance
- Release
- STGMO Gang Renouncement and Disassociation (GRAD)
- What happens when an offender violates a rule within the prison?
- Should I send money to an incarcerated offender?
- Do offenders in prison have color televisions in their cells?
- Are the prison units air conditioned?
- How do offenders spend their day?
- What happens if an offender refuses to work?
- Does Texas have chain gangs?
- What kind of dress code applies to offenders?
- Are offenders allowed to make telephone calls?
- Hardship Transfer Requests
- Time Calculations
- Appeal of a Disciplinary Case
- Unfair Treatment by Staff
- Additional Information about the Homes for Heroes Loan Program
- Correctional Officer Application Status
- Correctional Officer Overtime Accrual/Payment
- Correctional Officer Positions
- Employee Benefits
- Employment Questions
- Insurance Questions
- What is TCI?
- What does TCI do?
- TCI Products
- Who is eligible to purchase from TCI?
- Purchasing TCI Products
- Register as Texas vendor
Victim Services
Notification and Victim Information & Notification Everyday (VINE)
- How can I receive notification about an offender in prison?
- What services will I receive by registering for notification?
- Is there a system that provides offender information 24 hours a day?
- What is the difference between registering with VINE and registering with Victim Services?
- Can I be notified when an offender is released from prison?
- How can I protest an offender’s release and what do I say in my protest letter?
- Can I meet with the Board of Pardons and Paroles?
Texas Crime Victim Clearinghouse
- What is the TxCVC?
- Where can I get a Victim Impact Statement (VIS)?
- How often is the Victim Impact Statement revised?
- What is the purpose of the Victim Impact Statement Activity Report?
- Does the TxCVC maintain a list of resources for crime victims and victim service providers?
Victim Offender Mediation/Dialogue
- When will the mediation take place?
- How long before a mediator is assigned to the case?
- Does the offender have to agree to mediation?
- Is it permissible to write or visit the offender prior to the mediation?
- Can a support person come to the mediation session?
- How can I initiate a case
Victim Impact Panel Program
- What a victim do in order to speak on a VIP?
- Does the offender have to be in prison?
- What does a victim/survivor gain from speaking on a panel?
- Why are VIPs used in training criminal justice professionals?
- Why are VIPs provided for offender audiences?
- What should an offender do when/if court ordered to attend a victim impact panel?
Victim
Survivors Execution
Viewing
- How long have victim witnesses been allowed to view executions?
- Is execution viewing limited to immediate family members of the deceased?
- How many victim witnesses may view an execution, and can anyone attend the execution without viewing?
- What time do executions take place and where?
- Are victim witnesses prepared for viewing the execution?
- What can an inmate say during their last statement?
- What happens after the execution?
Rehabilitation Programs Division
Volunteer Retraining
- How long is the application process?
- Can an ex-offender volunteer?
- Can a TDCJ employee (or retiree) become a volunteer?
- Can I attend a training class at a unit different from the one I will be volunteering at?
- How long is the training session?
- How often am I required to retrain?
- Can I bring a friend with me to the volunteer training/orientation session?
- Can my church/ministry group donate books or materials to the units?
- What if someone I know is currently incarcerated within the TDCJ?
- How many units can I visit?
- After becoming an approved volunteer, will I be able to write letters to offenders?
- How do I begin?
- What is a special volunteer?