Lawmakers Urged to Reform Parole With Technology
A panel of experts on Tuesday urged lawmakers to use more technology to improve community supervision of parolees, a change they argued would save money and reduce recidivism. Full Story
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Sex Offender Agency's Presiding Board Member Quits
Amid heated controversy over the placement of dangerous sex offenders, the presiding member of a board that oversees an agency that manages civilly committed violent sex offenders resigned on Tuesday. Full Story
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Report: Prison Heat Violates Basic Human Rights
A new report by the University of Texas School of Law Human Rights Clinic claims that extreme conditions in Texas prisons violate the basic human rights of inmates. Full Story
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Lawmakers to Examine Rehab of Mentally Ill, Addicted Inmates
Lawmakers on Tuesday will examine ways to reduce recidivism among prisoners with mental illness and substance addiction. Full Story
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Use of Force Against Inmates on the Rise
The population in Texas prisons dropped from 2005 to 2013, but statistics from the corrections agency show that officers are using “major” force against inmates more often. Full Story
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Perry: Federal Anti-Prison Rape Standards "Impossible" to Achieve
Gov. Rick Perry told federal officials he would not sign a form complying with regulations meant to prevent prison rape and assault. Prison reform advocates worry the decision could have financial and legal consequences. Full Story
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![Major Michael Gruver in recreation area of Clements Unit (r) and a Guard tower near front gate of Clements Unit, Texas Department of Corrections (l).]()
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Solitary Confinement Study Approved, but Funding Remains Elusive
Lawmakers passed a bill that requires a study of solitary confinement in Texas prisons, but the panel charged with hiring a third party to conduct the research does not have money to fund the study. Full Story
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If the Sun Salutation Has to Fit Into a Prison Cell
An Austin lawyer turned yogi hopes to make yoga commonplace behind bars in Texas. But financial and administrative challenges lie ahead. Full Story
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![An inmate practices meditation during a yoga session at the Powledge prison unit in Palestine on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.]()
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Dignity in Burials for Prisoners and Families
Prisoner rights advocates often criticize the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but experts agree that offender burials are one thing the state prison system does well, especially compared with other states. Full Story
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![Anthony Ormsbee places flowers with other volunteers at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery in Huntsville, Texas Monday Nov. 4, 2013 where a group placed roses on the more than 3000 headstones for All Souls Day.]()
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TDCJ Refuses to Return Execution Drugs to Pharmacist
Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials said Monday that they will not heed a request to return a supply of execution drugs from the pharmacist who sent them to the state. Full Story
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Liveblog: Criminal Justice at The Texas Tribune Festival
We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Criminal Justice track, which includes panels on guilt and innocence, juvenile justice, guns, and a one-on-one conversation with Attorney General Greg Abbott. Full Story
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Violence Behind Bars and a Tie to Mental Illness
A Tribune analysis of violent-incident data in state prisons shows that far more violent incidents occur at facilities with large populations of mentally ill inmates. Full Story
![Major Michael Gruver in recreation area of Clements Unit (r) and a Guard tower near front gate of Clements Unit, Texas Department of Corrections (l).]()
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Interactive: Psychiatric Prisons See More Violence
Data from the Texas criminal justice system shows that psychiatric prison units experience the most violence per capita. Use this interactive to examine the violent incidents reported at more than 90 Texas prisons between 2006 and 2012. Full Story
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New Law Gives New Hope to Death Row Inmate
Convicted of stomping a 19-month-old baby to death, Robert Avila faces execution in January. Under a law passed this year, Avila hopes to bring to court new scientific evidence that may show the death could have been a tragic accident. Full Story
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Exoneree, Still in Prison, Denied Compensation
UPDATED: The Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday denying compensation to Michael Blair, who was exonerated of murder charges in 2008, but is still serving time in prison for child sexual assault convictions. Full Story
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News App: Prisoner Database Updated
The Texas Tribune's prison inmates database, containing more than 147,000 offenders who have committed roughly 440,000 combined crimes, is now updated with the latest data available from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Full Story
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Will Federal Moves Spur Criminal Justice Change?
Texas has led the way in criminal justice reforms, but advocates say there’s more to do. They’re hoping that federal action to reform sentencing laws will provide momentum for further changes here. Full Story
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In Two Cities, Opposite Reactions to Jail Closure
The decision by legislators this year to close two privately run jails operated by the Corrections Corporation of America is being met with very different reactions in the communities where the jails are situated. Full Story
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![Male detainees work to fix a cell door inside of the Dawson State Jail in Dallas on Jul. 31, 2013. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice decided not to renew its contract with the Corrections Corporation of America for the Dawson State Jail after the state legislature struck 97 million dollars from its funding. The unit will begin relocating its offenders on Aug. 1, 2013, and expects to have all offenders relocated by the end of the month.]()
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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. Full Story
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Texas Prison Inmates database
Use this application to explore Texas' numerous prison units, and learn more about the 147,000 inmates housed inside them. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman