A List of Texas Department of Criminal Justice Units
With one of the largest prison systems in the United States, Texas's criminal justice system is managed by dozens of different divisions functioning under the umbrella of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The Department is responsible for managing all aspects of the state's prisons and convicted criminals.
Other People Are Reading
-
The Board
-
The Texas Board of Criminal Justice is the highest level of direct oversight for the TDCJ. It consists of nine members appointed by the governer of Texas who function as an oversight and rule-setting committee for the TDCJ. The Texas board has direct oversight over five divisions within the TDCJ: the Office of Inspector General, the State Counsel for Offenders Division, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Ombudsman, the Internal Audit division and the Windham School District.
Administrative and Technical Divisions
-
The remainder of the TDCJ's various divisions are loosely organized under the oversight of the department's Executive and Deputy Executive Directors. Many of these divisions are responsible for handling the various administrative and technical tasks incumbent upon managing such a large state agency. These divisions are: the Administrative Review and Risk Management Division, the Human Resources Division, the Office of General Counsel, the Chief Financial Officer, the Business and Finance Division, the Information Technology Division, the Manufacturing and Logistics Division, the Facilities Division and the Private Facility Contract Monitoring/Oversight Division.
-
Divisions Managing Offenders
-
The TDCJ's responsibility for managing criminals extends beyond the incarceration process. For example, the department's Parole Division is responsible for training parole officers, handling parole hearings and processing parolees, issuing warrants, managing the department's parole program budget, and conducting all field operations such as monitoring parolees. Other divisions responsible for managing criminals before, during and after their conviction include: the Correctional Institutions Division, the Rehabilitation Programs Division, the Reentry and Integration Division, and the Community Justice Assistance Division.
Other Divisions
-
While most of the TDCJ's interaction with non-offenders takes place through the victim services division, several other divisions have missions geared toward or encompassing the public at large. For example, the Health Services Division is responsible for both the health of Texas's prison population, including transporting prisoners to state hospitals for treatment, and for the public at large, including monitoring and reporting on public health issues such as HIV and tuberculosis. The Community Justice Assistance Division is also tasked with informing victims and the community at large of offenders currently on community supervision.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
