A report discussed by Texas Public Radio says Texas’ compassionate-release process is failing to provide meaningful relief for many elderly, terminally ill and medically vulnerable people in state prisons.

The Texas program is formally known as Medically Recommended Intensive Supervision, or MRIS. It can allow certain incarcerated people who are seriously ill, disabled or near death to serve the remainder of their sentences under intensive supervision outside prison.

Texas Public Radio reported that an examination by the Texas Civil Rights Project described MRIS as underused and called for administrative and policy changes. The report is titled The State of Texas’s “Uncompassionate Release” Program and the Case for Utilizing MRIS to Release People with Complex Needs from Prison.

Kirsten Budwine, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, discussed the report on the Texas Matters program. The organization argues that the existing process does not adequately serve people whose age or medical condition substantially limits their mobility and ability to present a public-safety risk.

For families, an MRIS application can involve medical documentation, eligibility rules, review by correctional and parole authorities and an appropriate release plan. Approval is not automatic, and the program should not be confused with ordinary parole eligibility.

Source: Texas Public Radio — Texas prisons’ compassionate-release program.