Perry Honors 19 with Texas Department of Criminal Justice Awards

Governor Rick Perry today honored 19 recipients of the 2008 Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Awards and the Carol S. Vance Volunteer of the Year. Recipients volunteered more than 500,000 hours of service to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), and were chosen from among 13,000 volunteers.

"There are currently more than 156,000 inmates in the Texas Criminal Justice System today, and try as we might we simply can not meet their every need," said Governor Perry. "The compassion and service of these outstanding volunteers help fill those gaps and create a positive environment for offenders to become rehabilitated, contributing members of society."

The governor joined Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) Chairman Oliver Bell, TDCJ Executive Director Brad Livingston and 200 attendees from around the state to recognize the volunteers whose service has made a positive impact on the criminal justice system.

The Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Awards were created in 1995 to honor volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution to the mission of the TDCJ to provide public safety, promote positive change in behavior, reintegrate offenders into society, and assist victims of crime.

TDCJ volunteers help offenders develop and improve their life skills, education, vocational training, work habits and behaviors needed to abstain from criminal activity and substance abuse. They also work with offenders to successfully secure gainful employment and responsibly reintegrate into communities.

For more information on TDCJ, please visit http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/.