Use this application to explore Texas’ numerous prison units, and learn more about the 147,000 inmates housed inside them.
Travis Swicegood
Travis Swicegood was the first News Apps and Data Editor, where he worked from 2010 to 2014. He previously spent nearly a decade and a half in the technology industry with a focus on the web. Originally from El Paso, he has worked for startups targeting everything from electronic medical records to customer relationship management to social networks. He came to the Tribune after a year and a half of running his own consulting company that focused on helping not-for-profits and political activists use technology to expand their reach. Before joining the Tribune, he led the technology department as Director of Technology and spearheaded development efforts on the Tribune's Armstrong Project, a Knight Foundation-funded project to create an open source news platform.
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Criminal Justice
On the Records: Prisoner Database Back Online
Today, we relaunch one of our most popular news applications: our database of all Texas state prison inmates, which we had pulled down to address inconsistencies in the state’s record-keeping.
Posted inState Government
News App: Government Salary Database Updated
Today, we are adding and updating more than 200,000 salary records for Texas public employees — and moving forward with a new updating schedule.
Posted inState Government
On the Records: Updates to the Salary Database
We’ve updated our most popular data feature, the Government Employee Salaries database. With this update, we begin a new and better process that will help keep you abreast of the latest salary changes.
Posted in
Bidness As Usual
Our “Bidness as Usual” Project: The e-Book
Over the course of the 83rd legislative session, we produced more than 60 articles on ethics and transparency among the state’s elected officials. We’ve turned the “Bidness as Usual” project into a free e-book.
Posted inState Government
Interactive: Special Session Bill Tracker
The second special session has begun — and so has lawmakers’ bill-filing. Check out the legislation that’s been filed so far, and track the bills as they progress through both chambers or die on the vine.
Posted inState Government
Best & Worst Lawmakers: Your Turn to Choose
Texas Monthly’s list of the best and worst legislators of the 83rd session doesn’t come out until June 12, but why should Paul Burka and his colleagues have all the fun? Use this interactive between now and 6 p.m. Tuesday to select your own personal list.
Posted inState Government
Interactive: Bills Sent to the Governor’s Office
Hundreds of bills that have been signed by both the House and the Senate are arriving at Gov. Rick Perry’s office. Use our interactive to see which measures he has signed, which he has vetoed and which have become law without his signature.
Posted inState Government
News App: Tracking the Status of House and Senate Bills
The deadline for bills to win approval from the House and the Senate passed earlier this week, resulting in the death of a lot of legislation. Most of what remains is to reconcile differences between versions of legislation passed by both chambers. Our updated bill apps — one for House bills and one for Senate legislation — detail the results.
Posted inState Government
News App: Updated House Bill Tracker
Another major House deadline has gone by, ending that chamber’s consideration of major legislation filed by its own members. We’ve updated our House Bill tracker, showing which bills stalled in committee and which ones stalled in the full House.