Inmate Services and Religious Services
Mission Statement
The mission of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Services Divisions is to coordinate the delivery of programs that are tailored to meet the religious beliefs and practices of inmates across all Dallas County jail facilities. These programs include religious services, study groups, and clerical care facilitated by volunteer religious service providers representing various faiths in the local community. The management of religious programs ensures that inmates have the opportunity to freely exercise their religion, with clerical care provided by volunteer chaplains. These efforts align with both legal requirements and the standards set forth by the Texas Commission of Jail Standards.
Inmate Services include but are not limited to:
- Chaplain Services
- Coordinates the delivery of programs that serve the religious beliefs and practices of inmates confined in all Dallas County jail facilities. Religious services, study groups, and clerical care are provided by volunteer religious service providers representative of religious faiths available in the local community. Religious programs are managed to accommodate the free exercise of religion by providing inmates with clerical care through the services of volunteer chaplains and ensuring inmates can pursue individual religious beliefs and practices in accordance with the law and the Texas Commission of Jail Standards. Persons interested in becoming a volunteer religious service provider can contact the religious service coordinator at 214-653-2838.
- Law Libraries –
- Inmates in jail facilities have access to law libraries and legal research tools such as FAST CASE through a Securus kiosk. This setup is beneficial as it allows inmates to engage in legal research and possibly prepare for their legal matters while incarcerated. Access to legal resources is crucial for ensuring inmates can adequately participate in their own legal proceedings and understand their rights.
- Mobile Book Carts
- Carts are stocked with a variety of paperback books, including fiction, non-fiction, and religious books. These books are donated from the local community, emphasizing donations from the Dallas Public Library. Inmates have access to these carts to engage in recreational reading, providing them with opportunities for personal development and leisure activities during their time in the jail facilities.
- The materials accepted include Bibles, Qurans, and other religious literature for individuals who wish to donate religious reading material to inmates. Interested donors should contact the Religious Services coordinator at 214-653-2838 to arrange for their contribution. It’s essential to note that only paperback and/or softcover books are accepted as donations.
- Video Services Department
- Television and radio programs are provided throughout the jail facilities for inmate viewing. VHS or DVD movies may be donated to the Inmate Services Division by contacting the Video Services Section Manager at 214-653-6029.
- Indigent Inmates
- Indigent inmates, defined as those with less than $5.00 in their inmate account, are provided with correspondence supplies. These supplies enable them to engage in communication with individuals outside the jails, facilitating connections with friends, family, legal representatives, or other contacts. This service ensures that financial constraints do not hinder inmates’ ability to maintain important relationships and access necessary support systems while incarcerated.
Indigent inmates need to ask the commissary cart attendant for a personal hygiene kit.
