Requesting Information by Phone
Gather information about the offender. Before you call to check someone's parole status, you must have his or her Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) or State ID number. If you don't have either of these numbers, you still should be able to check his or her parole status provided you have the offender's exact birth date. If you're using the offender's birth date, you also should make sure you know his or her full legal name so you can correctly identify the person you want in the event more than one name comes up. The telephone status lines are statewide, so you don't need to know the city or county where the offender was last located, or the location of the facility in which he or she was incarcerated.
Determine which number you need to call. Texas provides several phone numbers by which members of the public can check someone's parole status, depending on whether the offender has been released from the correctional facility. If you're calling to check the parole status of an offender before the Board of Pardons and Paroles (BPP) has voted on whether to release him or her, you should call 844-512-0461. If you're calling to check the parole status of an offender after the BPP has voted on whether to release him or her, you should call 512-406-5202. If you just need to locate an offender or want general information, you can call the Huntsville BPP office at 936-295-6371. You also can call toll-free to 800-535-0283.
Call the number during business hours. The telephone lines are only open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. By calling the number, you can check the offender's parole status as well as the city and county where he or she is located. If you are calling to provide a tip regarding a parolee who has stopped reporting to his or her parole officer, you may call the Absconder Tip-Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An operator will take down any information you have, but you may remain anonymous.
Requesting Information Online
Conduct an offender information search. If the person is still incarcerated, you can use the TDCJ database to look up information regarding his or her status. You don't need to know the offender's TDCJ or State ID number to look up inmates in the TDCJ database. However, you should enter as much information as you have to find the correct offender most efficiently.
Gather the correct identification numbers for the offender. To request information about an offender via email, you must have his or her TDCJ or State ID number. Keep in mind that you also must know the offender's full and correct legal name if you want to check his or her parole status over email. If you don't have the TDCJ or State ID number of the offender, you can use his or her birth date instead, but it must be exact.
Determine which email address you need. Texas provides several email addresses you can use to check an offender's parole status, depending on the type of information you need. If you have questions or concerns regarding the location, conduct, or supervision of an offender on parole, you should email [email protected]. If you have more general questions about the parole review process, you can email [email protected]. If you have an open records request, you can write to [email protected].
Draft your email. Include the required information in the subject line and the information you want in the body of your email. Your subject line should include the offender's full name and his or her TDCJ or State ID number. If you don't know either of those numbers, you can include his or her exact birth date instead. If your request is an emergency, you also should include a note to that effect in the subject line of your email. Use the body of your email to briefly describe the information you want or any specific concerns you have about the person you've identified in the subject line.
Send your email. Once you've proofread your email to eliminate any spelling or grammatical errors, you should be ready to send it to the appropriate agency. Keep in mind that because large numbers of emails are received at these addresses, it can take up to six weeks for TDCJ staff to get back to you.
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