Criminal justice

State contractors – many of whom get paid top dollar to advise Texas agencies – are largely immune from reporting conflicts of interest.

Full Story 

In some places, the governor's border security efforts have led to a reduction in crime — in rural counties, for instance, where there aren't many people and there wasn't much crime to begin with. But in large urban counties like El Paso and Webb, it's a different story.

Full Story 

All-star Dallas Morning News journalists Lee Hancock and Courtney Perry somehow finagled their way into the apartment of Maj. Nidal Hasan, the army psychiatrist who murdered more than a dozen people at Fort Hood last week.

Full Story 

There was a bittersweet note of unity preceding what will undoubtedly prove a poignant Veteran’s Day.

Full Story 

State agencies are spending tens of millions of dollars every year on information technology contract workers, employees who aren’t on the state payroll – but whose pay often dwarfs those who are.

Full Story 

John Bradley, the Williamson County District Attorney and the newly-appointed chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, spent his morning answering a steady stream of questions from Texas lawmakers. At issue, if and when his panel will re-open the investigation into whether faulty science led to the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed by the state in 2004.

Full Story 

Texas lawmakers got their chance Tuesday to ask questions about the recent changes on the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Governor Rick Perry replaced several members of the commission – including its chair just days before it was to hear a report that questioned the science used to convict and execute Cameron Todd Willingham for the arson deaths of his three children.

Full Story 

Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley expected some verbal jousting today at the Senate Criminal Justice Committee about his plans for the Texas Forensic Science Commission. He was right.

Full Story 

Experts from around the U.S. and Mexico are debating the War on Drugs and its affect on violence south of the border. Some of them wonder whether decriminalization is the answer.

Full Story 

In keeping with our goal of making government data more accessible, we've created a simple application for searching fines issued by the Texas Ethics Commission.

Full Story 

Gov. Perry made a timely announcement today: He's proposing initiatives to improve mental health programs for veterans.

Full Story 

If you're waiting for closure on questions of Cameron Todd Willingham's guilt or innocence, get comfortable. The Texas Forensic Science Commission's new chair tells the Tribune that he doesn't yet have the rules or resources to investigate whether faulty science led to the Corsicana man's conviction and execution.

Full Story 

Your afternoon reading.

Full Story 

A clearer picture of Thursday afternoon’s events is beginning to shape.

Full Story 

As news of the Fort Hood shootings unfolds, we'll be adding links, maps, audio, photographs, and other information from around the web to this post.

Full Story 

“It’s both an ideological concern and a safety concern,” one of the student plaintiffs said. “Obviously college campuses aren’t some magical zone where no violence occurs, and so I feel particularly strongly that every student that feels the need to carry handgun anywhere in their lives should also be able to do so on a college campus.”

Full Story 

Your afternoon reading.

Full Story 

Recommendation: Do not get swine flu. Tracking the vaccine is getting to be like figuring out what happened to all the TARP money.

Full Story 

Your afternoon reading.

Full Story 

Long story short: It's a nightmare.

Full Story