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TDCJ Unveils New Inmate Censorship Policy

In the new Offender Orientation Handbook released this earlier this month, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice instituted a new policy punishing offenders for having a social media presence even if it is managed by a friend or family member.   The new offender manual creates a prohibition on inmates "maintaining active social media accounts for the purposes of soliciting, updating, or engaging others, through a third party or otherwise."   Offenders who violate the new policy will be charged with a level three disciplinary violation which can result inRead More


How a Parole Package Helps

With frequency, Texas Parole Now gets asked “How does a parole package help someone make parole?”   When it comes to the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole a parole package can provide the voting members background information about the offender. Obtaining the necessary documents to compile a good parole package can takes several months. A parole package provides information such as inmates background, education, accomplishments, risk assessment, post-parole plans, and continued rehabilitative programs upon release.  The parole packet offers a picture of the potential parolee showing them as aRead More


Why Submit A Parole Packet?

Parole Packets are a means by which the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole receive information about an inmate's rehabilitation, participation in educational classes, and character which are used to determine an offender's parole vote. A parole package is not necessary for an inmate to make parole.  The voting members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole do not require anyone to do anything.  However the voting members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole receive hundreds of files each month for review for parole and mandatory supervision.  A paroleRead More


A Suggestion to Help People in Prison

While the main purpose of this website is to help people understand the parole process in Texas and also to educate them about the importance of parole packets, we also try to occasionally offer our insights into life inside prison and what can be done to make it easier on the offenders. We've mentioned before how a few dollars placed into an inmates commissary account can be a big deal and how uplifting "making store" can be, even if they only get a few soups and a soft drink. The prisonsRead More


Texas To Close Two Prison Facilities

Budget negotiators at the Texas Senate and House have tentatively agreed to close two private run state prisons resolving a political feud that threatened the criminal justice agency. Under Friday’s agreement, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice will decide which two prisons to close. Legislators agreed to cut $97 million from the criminal just budget under new wording in the budget, which requires two facilities to be closed.  Although the bill does not specifically name the Dawson State Jail in Dallas and the Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility, the $97Read More