Recreation Programs


 

Overview

The Recreation Program, also supervised by the Continuing Education Division, serves as a viable management tool for the TDCJ. Offenders on each facility are afforded the opportunity for daily exercise and relaxation on a planned and supervised basis through various recreation programs. Approved exercise equipment is provided and maintained on all types of general population recreation yards, in each gymnasium, and in a variety of special recreation areas specifically designed for offenders requiring administrative segregation. Space for these functions is provided in approximately 343 general–population outdoor recreation yards, 142 gymnasiums, 43 trusty-camp type facility recreation yards, and a variety of special recreation areas for administrative segregation and death row offenders. Recreation Program activities also extend into the offender housing area dayrooms where television programming and table games are provided. Many offenders also choose to participate in the arts and crafts program, and spend time reading books and magazines provided for sedentary recreational use.

Recreation Oversight Officer's Training (ROOT)

The Recreation Oversight Officer's training is designed to help familiarize the Recreation Oversight Officer with the requirements, objectives, and goals of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in regards to its non-programmatic and programmatic recreation programs and how those requirements regarding non-programmatic and programmatic recreational activities can be met.
This training includes both classroom (16 hours) and practice exercises (24 hours) for a total of forty (40) hours.

Topics in the Recreation Oversight Officer's training include:


Upon completion of ROOT, the officer will obtain a Recreation Participation Manual that includes specific guidelines and procedures that relate to recreation, policies pertaining to recreation and a certificate issued from the Recreation Department certifying that the officer has completed the forty (40) hours in ROOT.

Regional Continuing Education Coordinators Recreation Program

Name

Region

Mario Cotton

I

Michael Berry

II

Arthur Jackson

III

Raymond Detiveaux

IV

Edwin Kubena

V

 

Pertinent policies that relate to recreation

AD-03.40
Administrative Directive-03.40 "Out-of-Cell Time" for General Population Offenders provides a uniform set of standards, which defines organizational and administrative requirements relating to out-of-cell recreational time for offenders.

AD-07.33
Administrative Directive-07.33 "Organization Administrative and Responsibilities of the TDCJ Offender Recreation Program" outlines agency policies and procedures for the operation of unit/facility recreation programs for offenders. Recreation program activities shall be available on each TDCJ and contracted facility.

AD-14.58
Administrative Directive-14.58 "Deposit Procedures for Unit Clearing Accounts" provide guidelines for handling any and all monies received on a facility, whether offender or employee related.

AD-14.59
Administrative Directive-14.59 "Offender Piddling and Craft Sales" was established to provide guidelines and procedures for managing facility offender craft shops and craft sales. Forms are not presently available through InfoPac, but can be found in the Recreations Directions Booklet for Correctional Staff and the Recreation Policy and Procedure Manual.

AD-14.60
Administrative Directive-14.60 "TDCJ Weekly Unit Craft Sales Report" outlines procedures for preparing the unit craft sales report used by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. These procedures focus on the need for complete detail in collecting and recording data to prepare the craft sales report.