WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS, JR. GOVERNOR STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 711 October 21, 1988 TO: The Honorable William P. Clements, Jr. Governor FROM: Rider Scott General Counsel RE: Furlough Update The Chairman of the Texas Department of Corrections, Charles Terrell, has appointed a subcommittee to review the furlough policy of the agency, as set out in Administrative Directive AD-04.56. The furlough policy review committee is composed of Charlie Terrell, and Board Members Polunsky and Hodge. Their next scheduled meeting is in San Antonio on October 27, 1988. The next full meeting of the Texas Department of Corrections Board is scheduled for November 14, 1988, at which time it is anticipated recommendations will be forthcoming from the special subcommittee on changes in furlough policy. Subsequent to your meeting with the Chairman of the Texas Department of Corrections in Dallas on Monday, October 10, 1988, certain emergency changes were made administratively in the furlough program. Under the direction of the Chairman, restrictions were placed on furloughs for inmates who have been convicted of certain enumerated felony offenses. Those categories of felony offenses were: murder, sexual offenses and major narcotics traffickers. On October 13, 1988, all defendants who were out on furlough with a murder conviction were returned to custody in the Texas Department of Corrections. Since that date, there have been no furlou h releases for inmates who have been convicted of sexual offenses, min"--or."-major na o ics trafficking offenses. Although these blanket restrictions were imposed on October 13th, some limited restrictions were applied earlier than that to the categories of sexual offenders and murderers. Since5e ter,..2LLUgz„.0.L.1.91„7 no defendants convicted of sex offenses were allowed furloughs unless they had received one prior to that date. The same restriction was applied to defendants convicted of murder as of August 24, 1988, but the policy allowed the "grandfathering" of inmates who had received furloughs prior to that date. According to the Texas Department of Corrections, there are 55 inmates out on furlough this week, Inikih has been a fairb7 consistent' r'--7-1:)im er.-Orrhar5, there are no defendants on-I-Urn-Ugh w1i 1ThV been convicted of sex offenses, murder or major marcotics trafficking. _
