TDCJ filed a visitation announcement on their website effective June 16, 2023. It passes along that:
During the COVID pandemic, TDCJ took action to protect all the men and women within the agency. Many of these actions did not come without burden and hardship for the loved ones and family members of those incarcerated. To maintain the close family bonds of loved ones and to make up for time lost when in-person visitation temporarily stopped, the agency expanded opportunities for both in-person and video visitation. While the pandemic has waned, the agency is struggling with another persistent problem, staffing.
The TDCJ’s primary mission is public safety. To ensure they can keep their staff, inmates, and the public safe, the agency needs to make modifications to the visitation schedule. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday visitation was paused beginning on June 16, 2023, until further notice. This will include contact, non-contact, and video visitation that is facilitated through the visitation kiosks and tablets in their visitation areas. Any visits that have been scheduled beyond June 15, 2023, will regretfully be canceled.
Recruiting and retaining staff remains a top priority for the agency. They are hopeful that recent pay raises by the legislature will make an impact in this critical area.
