The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is preparing for a $250 million budget cut for the 2018-2019 budget.

The agency has declined where the savings will occur but closing prisons and releasing more nonviolent offenders is not out of the question.

In June, Governor Greg Abbot instructed state agencies to submit budget plans reflecting a 4 percent reduction for 2017 budget negotiations.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice has an annual operating budget of more than $3 billion with the bulk of that expense going to approximately 40,000 employees.   TDCJ houses close to 150,000 inmates .