Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 43.101 – Voluntary Work
(a) A defendant who is confined in county jail before trial, after conviction of a misdemeanor, or after conviction of a felony or revocation of community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision and awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice may volunteer to participate in any work program operated by the sheriff that uses the labor of convicted defendants.
(b) The sheriff may accept a defendant as a volunteer under Subsection (a) if the defendant is not awaiting trial for an offense involving violence or is not awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after conviction of a felony involving violence, and if the sheriff determines that the inmate has not engaged previously in violent conduct and does not pose a security risk to the general public if allowed to participate in the work program.
Terms Used In Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 43.101
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Justice: when applied to a magistrate, means justice of the peace. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(c) A defendant participating in a work program under this section is not an employee for the purposes of Chapter 501 or 504, Labor Code.
(d) For each day of volunteer work, in addition to any other credits allowed by law, the court or sheriff may deduct one day from each sentence imposed on the defendant in relation to the offense or violation of the terms of release for which the defendant was confined in county jail.