The six children found murdered along with two adults in Houston over the weekend were no strangers to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which investigated at least four complaints about their care dating back 2011, and temporarily took the children into foster care two years later.
Criminal Justice
Get the latest Texas Tribune coverage on criminal justice, including crime, courts, law enforcement, and reforms shaping the state’s justice system.
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Criminal Justice
Person of Interest in Capitol Activity Now Tied to Car Fire
A man involved in “suspicious activity” near the Texas House speaker’s office is also being sought for questioning about a car fire outside the Capitol, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said Monday.
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Criminal Justice
Analysis: Paxton’s Supporters Protecting an Investment
Some of the supporters who jumped fastest to defend Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are also those who invested the most in his campaign for office. They’re protecting a substantial political investment.
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31 Days, 31 Ways (2015)
New Truancy Law Poised to Put More Pressure on Schools, Parents
When the state’s new truancy law takes effect Sept. 1, students will no longer potentially face criminal sanctions for skipping school. But there are new directives for public schools and the courts. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series.
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Criminal Justice
Chin Scratcher: Prison Beard Policy Will Cost Taxpayers $500,000
Thanks to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Texas prison inmates will be able to grow beards under a new policy expected to cost state taxpayers $500,000 a year in paperwork, beard nets and barber tools.
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Criminal Justice
Feds: Releasing Families Will Lead to More Illegal Migration
The immediate release of immigrant families from detention facilities could cause another massive wave of illegal migration like the one Texas witnessed last summer, the Obama administration argued in a court filing late Thursday.
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Criminal Justice
State Jail Commission Board Shuts Down Frio Co. Jail
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards voted Thursday to shut down the Frio County Jail for failing to adhere to jail standards, something they agency has done only twice before in its 40-year history.
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Criminal Justice
Police Associations Ask Rep. Coleman to Apologize
Several law enforcement organizations are calling on state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, to apologize after saying he was “treated like a child” during a traffic stop. But Coleman said he doesn’t see a reason why he should apologize.
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Guides
Texplainer: If Convicted, Will Paxton Have to Leave Office?
Paxton has indicated he won’t resign after being indicted Monday on three felony securities fraud charges. But, hypothetically, what would happen if the case makes its way through the legal maze and Paxton is found guilty?
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Criminal Justice
Paxton to Supporters: “I Expect to Be Fully Vindicated”
In his first public statement since being arrested on charges of securities fraud, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote in an e-mail Tuesday that he expects “to be fully vindicated of these charges.”
