The Use of Medically Recommended Intensive Supervision (Medical Parole) in Texas

For more than 20 years, lawmakers in Texas acknowledged that offenders with special needs such as the elderly, physically handicapped, and mentally impaired who are housed in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice presented challenges in health care and cost. In response to these perceived needs, the Texas legislature created "medically recommended intensive supervision" (MRIS) to permit the early release of eligible offenders. This article examines how and why the MRIS law was implemented. It also discusses how MRIS is being utilized in Texas. Next, it delineates the MRIS process an offender must endure. The article elaborates on recent legislative attempts to amend the MRIS law. Finally, several conclusions about the use of MRIS in Texas are discussed.