Texas Legislature
The Texas State Senate – Members of the Texas Senate
Texas House of Representatives : House Members
United States Congress
Members of the U.S. Congress | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
Advocacy on the Outside (Legal Issues)
ACLU of Texas | Request Legal Assistance (aclutx.org)
Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants – Texas Chapter (Active Website)
Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (Texas Legacy Website)
Pro Bono Offices in Texas – Locations and Contact Information – LawInfoPedia
Jail & Prisoner Law Resources (aele.org)
Prison Legal News – Dedicated to Protecting Human Rights
A Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual 12th Edition (current 2024) by Columbia Law
RIGHT ON CRIME (texaspolicy.com)
Texas Center for Legal Ethics CLE Courses and Resources for Texas Attorneys
Texas Center for the Judiciary (yourhonor.com)
Home – Texas Civil Rights Project (txcivilrights.org)
State Bar of Texas | Home (texasbar.com)
Texas Voices – For Reason & Justice
Impact of Civil Commitment (URYourStory)
Advocacy on the Outside (Prison & Jail Conditions)
Texas profile | Prison Policy Initiative
- Reports List (Current)
- Winnable criminal justice reforms in 2025 | Prison Policy Initiative
- Update to Prison Policy Initiative Resource Library 2024
- States of Incarceration 2024 (Comparing States to Global Rates)
- Update to Parole Rates
- Housing First
- Deflection and Diversion (National Conference of State Legislatures)
- What do Americans think about the U.S. prison system? (YouGov.us)
Alan Pogue – Texas Center for Documentary Photography
Home | Texas Prisons Community Advocates (tpcadvocates.org)
Texas Jail Project » We listen, inform, and advocate…to improve county jails
Provision of Air Conditioning and Heat-Related Mortality in Texas Prisons JAMA Network
TDCJ Directories & TDCJ Resources
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Rehabilitation Programs Division – Volunteer Services Program (texas.gov)
Online Services (Visitation Portal, eCommissary, Inmate Search, Victims Services, etc.)
Online Visitation Portal Index
General Information Guide for Families of Offenders
TDCJ YouTube on High Heat and Respite Areas
Update on TDCJ Air Conditioning Construction Projects 8/1/2025
If you belong to an established nonprofit group, business, educational or literary course provider, or books-to-prisoners center, your questionnaires, surveys, leaflets, or coursework should be sent directly to the Unit. The address must include the TDCJ number. Documents from the public that require a signature, such as a will, oil and mineral rights dispute, power of attorney, should be sent directly to the inmate with the words “Attn Law Library” written on the envelope.
Update to Organizations and Businesses Regarding Mail to Inmates
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Home Page
Community Supervision & Corrections Department Directory (Probation)
Parole Division Launches 24/7 Helpline
 The Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Parole Division announced the launch of a 24/7 Parole Client Helpline on December 1, 2024. This dedicated resource provides immediate assistance to clients facing crises or needing urgent support. How it works: Clients can reach the helpline by calling (833) 482-0039. Trained parole professionals are available around the clock to answer calls and connect clients with necessary resources. When a client contacts the helpline, the employee will follow up with the client’s parole officer and supervisors to ensure appropriate support. This new helpline reflects the agency’s commitment to providing comprehensive support to individuals reintegrating into the community. By offering a reliable and accessible resource, the Parole Division aims to enhance the safety and well-being of clients and foster successful reentry. The helpline is designed to be a lifeline for clients who may be experiencing issues such as substance use, housing instability, or other urgent situations. By connecting clients with trained professionals, the Parole Division aims to ensure that individuals receive the support they need in a timely manner. For more information about the helpline and other resources available to parole clients, please visit the Client Helpline. |
Parole Resources
Parole Site | Texas Defender Service
Resources for Advocates
Beyond Recidivism: A Systematic Review Exploring Comprehensive Criteria for Successful Reintegration After Prison Release (Sage Journals)
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC)
Naljor Prison Dharma Service – SourcePoint Global Outreach
Other Restorative Justice Organizations in Texas
Solutions for safe, healthy, just communities | Texas CJE
Texas Center for Justice and Equity | Austin TX | Facebook
The Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE) advocates at the State Capitol and in counties throughout Texas to end mass incarceration, shift funding towards community supports, and reduce racial inequities in the criminal punishment system.
Home | Ignite Justice (ignite-justice.org)
Other Restorative Justice Organizations Outside of Texas
All About CURE (curenational.org)
Prison Policy Initiative
- Parole in Perspective: A deep dive into discretionary parole systems
- Research roundup: Evidence that a single day in jail causes immediate and long-lasting harms
- Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025
- Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2024
- By Wendy Sawyer and Peter Wagner
March 14, 2024
- By Wendy Sawyer and Peter Wagner
- Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2022 | Prison Policy Initiative
- Prison Policy Initiative Brief on Travel for Women’s Health
Nolan Center for Justice (conservativejusticereform.org)
American Conservative Union Foundation — Criminal Justice Reform (2021) – Open Philanthropy
Resources for Inmates and Inmate’s Families
Before you can receive calls from a TDCJ inmate, you must first register your telephone number:
https://www.texasprisonphone.com/
Internet: Texas Inmate Telephone Friends & Family Enrollment
Note: You will need the inmate’s TDCJ ID number to register to receive telephone calls from him or her.
Okay, I looked it up.
What is required to register?
In order to receive calls from an inmate, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) requires that you register and meet the following requirements:
- The name on your driver’s license must match the name on your telephone service enrollment.
- You must agree to the following conditions:
- You are the registered owner of the phone that will accept calls from any inmate you register for
- You will allow inmate calls to this phone
- You are at least 18 years old
- You will not forward calls, make 3-way calls or use a speakerphone on calls received from any inmate you register for
- You understand that eligible inmates are not allowed to speak to any adult that is not listed on their Approved Calling List
- If you don’t possess a Texas Driver’s License or State ID, you will be asked to upload a photo or photocopy of your out-of-state driver’s license.
- Once your phone number is successfully registered with TDCJ, you will need to set up your Securus online account at https://securustech.online/#/login. You will then need to add funds to your AdvanceConnect account and you are ready to receive phone calls.
JPay | Your Home For Corrections Services
QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor – Setting Up Shop
eCommDirect – Inmate Commissary Purchases and FAQ (texas.gov)
Texas Inmate Families Association – Texas Inmate Families Association (tifa.org)
Home » PEP (Prison Entrepreneurship Program)
Texas Resources – Sex Offender One Stop Resource
The Push to Bring Medicaid Behind Bars
Many states are now judging SO laws unconstitutional!
Are you the mother of a person required to register?
Reentry Programs For Felons 2023 | Felony Record Hub
Programs To Help Justice-Impacted Individuals Get Jobs
Texas Worksite for Work (+WOTC)
Guide to Unemployment Benefits
Job Search Guide for People with Convictions
Q&A: What’s Included in an Employment Background Check?
What to Expect From a Pre-Employment Screening
Help for Justice-Impacted Individuals Finding Housing
Finding Housing for Felons in Texas (September 4, 2023 by Charles Greg)
TDCJ-RID Resource Guide by County TDCJ does not release an inmate to parole without a verified home plan. Any inmate releasing to supervision who does not have an approved residence plan upon release will be placed by the TDCJ Parole Division (PD) in a residential reentry center, also known as a halfway house.
Questionnaire for AHR Providers This form will assist providers in preparing an AHR List application to TDCJ’s Huntsville Placement and Release Unit. AHR_Application_RRP-01.pdf
TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER TARGETS HOMELESS REGISTRANTS
Help for Justice-Impacted Veterans
How Incarceration Affects Eligibility for VA Benefits
To understand incarcerated veterans benefits apportionment by state, consider the following points:
- Eligibility Criteria: Veterans must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for benefits while incarcerated.
- State Variations: Benefits and apportionment rules can vary significantly from state to state.
- Apportionment Process: States may have different processes for how benefits are apportioned among dependents.
- Notification Requirements: Veterans must notify the VA of their incarceration status to avoid overpayments.
- Duration of Benefits: Benefits may be reduced or suspended based on the length of incarceration.
- Reinstatement Procedures: Upon release, veterans can apply for reinstatement of benefits, which may differ by state.
About Veterans Benefits Restoration
SecureView Tablet by Securus Technologies
SecureView Tablet the Securus Tablet – Securus Technologies
FCC Order – Securus Help Center (2024 FCC Order)
Friends and Family Video Visitation at SecurusTech
TDCJ News – Remote Video Visitation (texas.gov) (The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has implemented two remote video visitation systems, Securus and Tablet Video Visitation to help families and friends stay in touch.)
Other Resources
Reading Resources
Guide To Legal Writing Style, Fifth Edition Terri LeClercq, Karin Mika $89.00 ISBN: 9780735599987
Schoolhouse by NCIC (Education for Jailhouse on NCIC tablets)
Custodial Death Report | Office of the Attorney General (force.com)
Bag of Hot Air 