Advocate Resources

Without a doubt, an informed advocate can often improve a range of prison and jail conditions more effectively than the best-financed lawsuit. The documents and links on this website can help you get more information on the law and policies governing prison conditions and connect with other advocates.

You can also get information about prisons and jails through Texas? Public Information Act, though a lot of information is kept secret. For example, you can get only very limited information about individual prisoners. Also, prisoners are specifically ? and shamefully ? exempted from the Public Information Act, which means that a government agency can legally refuse to give prisoners? access to public information.

The prison or jail has ten business days to respond to you. If it does not respond, the information you asked for is presumed available to you. For help getting the information you are entitled to, contact the Attorney General?s Open Government Division.

If you would like to obtain information about TDCJ, take a look at its website. If you can?t find what you are looking for, you should write the prison or jail a letter asking them to disclose the specific information you need pursuant to Texas? Public Information Act.

To get information from TDCJ, write:

TDCJ ? Executive Services
P.O. Box 99
Huntsville, TX 77342-0099
E-mail: exec.services@tdcj.state.tx.us
Facsimile: 936.437.2125

To get information from a jail, you should write the sheriff or police chief who operates the jail.

Awareness and Advocacy:
Texas Inmate Families Association
Prison Policy Initiative
Prison Policy Initiative Atlas
Texas Criminal Justice Coalition
Justice Now
Texas Corrections Association
Prisoner of the Census
Mothers (Fathers) for the Advancement of Social Systems Inc. (MASS)
Texas Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (TX Cure)
Right to Vote
South Texans Opposing Private Prisons (STOPP)

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