Are you ready to
become a volunteer?
What is a volunteer?
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) views the role of a volunteer as providing “programs and services in an effort to assist with the agency’s mission to provide public safety, promote positive change in offender behavior, to reintegrate offenders into society and assist victims of crime.”
The PEP Volunteer
Persons engaged in volunteer activities with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (“PEP”) are called to high standards of ethical conduct and personal integrity. Power and authority are inherent in your role as a volunteer because the men you serve view you as The Expert or the person who has “got it all together” — they want to emulate YOU!
Important Considerations
An overarching rule for TDCJ Trained Volunteers is “volunteers shall not form a non-professional, personal or emotional relationship with an offender.”
If a non-professional, personal or emotional relationship develops it is your responsibility as a volunteer to report the relationship to PEP’s management and withdraw from your role as a PEP volunteer. This includes withdrawing from all PEP volunteer activities both inside and outside of prison.
To learn more about training opportunities and rules of conduct for volunteers, please visit TDCJ’s website and the section for volunteers at
“Volunteer Handbook”
- PEP operates under the auspices of TDCJ’s Volunteer Services Program and as such our volunteers are subject to their rules and regulations.
- Volunteers who wish to visit prison more than four times in their lifetime must become TDCJ trained volunteers.
- Volunteers are subject to sanctions for failure to abide by TDCJ rules and regulations or failure to perform responsibilities in accordance with the assignment description or expectations.
An overarching rule for TDCJ Trained Volunteers is “volunteers shall not form a non-professional, personal or emotional relationship with an offender.”
If a non-professional, personal or emotional relationship develops it is your responsibility as a volunteer to report the relationship to PEP’s management and withdraw from your role as a PEP volunteer. This includes withdrawing from all PEP volunteer activities both inside and outside of prison.
Important Considerations
To learn more about training opportunities and rules of conduct for volunteers, please visit TDCJ’s website and the section for volunteers at
“Volunteer Handbook”
- PEP operates under the auspices of TDCJ’s Volunteer Services Program and as such our volunteers are subject to their rules and regulations.
- Volunteers who wish to visit prison more than four times in their lifetime must become TDCJ trained volunteers.
- Volunteers are subject to sanctions for failure to abide by TDCJ rules and regulations or failure to perform responsibilities in accordance with the assignment description or expectations.
Become a part of the PEP Collider
The PEP collider is a space where you’ll be able to take action and become even more purposeful about fostering transformational collisions.
Do you want to invite participants, help educate members, or even transform our men’s lives through their businesses? Choose your impact!
Upcoming Events
Your presence at our events is crucial to the growth and development of our participants. We appreciate that you are willing to take the time to come to prison and encourage someone whom you might not otherwise cross paths with.
Thank you for your willingness to serve and for understanding the need for a second chance. With a return-to-prison rate below 7%,
we know that YOU are an important part of PEP’s success.
Contact Us
Are you interested in more information?
Contact us today by filling out the form, sending us an email or by calling us to submit an inquiry or comment.
