Family visits are important!

Family members of incarcerated individuals are often referred to as "hidden victims" — victims of the criminal justice system who are neither acknowledged nor given a platform to be heard. And when family members are not allowed to visit a loved one in prison because they are unfairly removed from a visitation list, they once again feel victimized.

Families of incarcerated individuals NEED to see their family members and those in prison NEED to see their families. Maintaining the bonds between families, children and prisoners is critical to the successful outcomes when someone is finally released.

TDCJ realizes that making it easier for family members to visit loved ones behind bars strengthens the reentry social safety nets. But this also requires TDCJ to honor and engage the natural support networks that all returning citizens have: their family and community.

The TDCJ removal policy needs to be rewritten so that family members are only removed from a visitation list for the most troubling situations such as bringing drugs into a facility.

If you have been affected by this outdated and improperly enforced policy, please take the survey. We will use the information to work to bring our families back together!

“A damaging system can be transformed into one that actually engages families and communities and makes them stronger.” – Vera Institue