In the Eagle Pass area, the number of juvenile felony cases referred to Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce Ballou has fallen more than 40 percent since 2012. It’s a sign, he says, that his rehabilitative approach is working.
Criminal Justice
Get the latest Texas Tribune coverage on criminal justice, including crime, courts, law enforcement, and reforms shaping the state’s justice system.
USDA: Border Cattle Inspection Sites to Remain Shuttered
Elected officials and business leaders in Presidio and its Mexican sister city, Ojinaga, are drafting their own safety plan, hoping the USDA will consider reopening a cattle inspection site in Mexico.
Dewhurst Urges Obama to Pay Texas for Jailed Immigrants
UPDATED: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sent the president a letter demanding repayment for the more than $156.6 million that Texas counties have spent since 2011 on jailing undocumented immigrants with federal detainers.
ACLU Sues Feds Over Excessive Force Claim
The American Civil Liberties Union on Monday filed a lawsuit against what the advocacy group claims are egregious abuses of power within the ranks of border law enforcement.
Armed Protesters Rally at Alamo Over Gun Restrictions
Roughly a thousand people turned out at the Alamo on Saturday to protest current state law that prohibits the open carrying of handguns and other gun restrictions.
Cornyn Has “Grave Concerns” About DHS Nominee
UPDATED: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn says President Obama’s choice to succeed former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano lacks the experience to head the agency.
Supreme Court to Hear Texas Challenge to Greenhouse Gas Regulations
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Texas’ challenge of federal regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources like power plants and factories.
Interactive: The Cost of Jailing Undocumented Immigrants in Texas
A state law passed in 2011 requires Texas jails to report monthly estimates of the cost to house undocumented immigrants. This interactive table shows the total number of immigrants housed and the cost to each county from October 2011 to September 2013.
Mexican Exiles Speak Out Against Claims They’re Gaming Asylum System
As lawmakers in Washington call for a review of how asylum law pertains to Mexicans seeking protection, one Mexican exile is embarking on his own public relations campaign.
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.



