The Travis County district attorney’s office’s Public Integrity Unit is reviewing evidence that suggests a state lawmaker illegally released an inmate’s disciplinary file to a victims’ rights advocate in an effort to prevent a high-profile convicted murderer’s release from prison.
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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31 Days, 31 Ways (2013)
Money for DPS to Help With Backlog of Rape Kits
Thousands of untested rape kits are likely to get processed for DNA evidence after state budget writers included $11 million for the effort in the 2014-15 budget. This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series.
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Criminal Justice
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.
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
Texas Prison Inmates database
Use this application to explore Texas’ numerous prison units, and learn more about the 147,000 inmates housed inside them.
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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.
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Criminal Justice
Study Links Prison Reform Cost to Decreased Welfare Funds
A recent study of states that implemented court-ordered prison reforms indicates that the cost of updating the lock-ups may cause lasting welfare program cuts.
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Criminal Justice
After Facing Prostitution Charges, Inmates Get Help in Starting Over
Twenty women at the Harris County Jail are working to ensure that they won’t fall back into prostitution when they finish their sentences. A specialized program is helping them gain the tools to do just that.
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Criminal Justice
Video: Prostitution Diversion Program Helps Inmates Start Over
Through a program at the Harris County Jail, 20 women are working to avoid returning to a life of prostitution. The program is led by a woman who knows only too well the struggles they face.
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Criminal Justice
Justice Department Seeks to Restore Voting Law Restrictions on Texas
The U.S. Justice Department will seek to once more require that a federal court approve Texas’ controversial voter ID law, despite a Supreme Court ruling that such a practice is outdated.
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Criminal Justice
TJJD Weighs Closing Mental Health Unit, Halfway Houses
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is considering closing the Corsicana Residential Treatment Center and two halfway houses after a state budget rider cut funds for the agency’s secure facilities.
