Coding bootcamps for prisoners have been around since 2014, but they used to be exclusively for men. Girl Develop It is one of the women-led programs tackling that problem.
Conditions of Confinement
Advocates Seek Oversight for Texas Prison Agency
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and the Texas Inmates Family Association said the recent felony charges and other ongoing problems highlight the need for independent investigations into one of the most opaque state agencies.
Advocacy groups call for outside watchdog of Texas prisons after guard indictments
After several Texas prison employees were indicted earlier this month for allegedly conspiring to plant screwdrivers in an inmate’s cell, advocacy groups are calling for an outside entity to serve as a watchdog of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Heat wave sparks concerns in sweltering Texas prisons
State prison officials are in emergency-response mode this week as a heat wave bears down on a large swath of Texas, rivaling the system that triggered the deaths of 10 inmates from heat stroke in 2011.
Accused Houston murderer’s spree highlights gaps in finding parole violators, law officials say
As investigators build their case against the man they have accused of cutting off his ankle monitor and killing three people, top law officials say the tragedy raises questions about the oversight and tracking of parole violators in Houston.
College Degree Options Are Disappearing for Women in Texas Prisons
By 2020, the only bachelor's degree programs available to incarcerated women in Texas will end. TCJC's Lindsey Linder shares the importance of adding more degree programs for women and examination of barriers to entry.
Texas’ Current Bail System Endangers Public Safety
Lindsey Linder joins Bill Hammond of Texas Smart On Crime Coalition on an op-ed regardng the unjust pretrial practices of money bail bonds, their harm to the poor, and endangerment to public safety.
Meet the Harris County Public Defender Who’s Crowdfunding Books For Her Clients
Public defender Amalia Beckner crowdfunds to purchase books for jailed clients. TCJC's Doug Smith shares his personal story to the power of books behind bars.
Jenna Bush Hager Speaks on University of Texas Campus about Prison Reform for Women
Participants discuss Texas’ next step in “bipartisan” movement dealing with the over incarceration of women.
Education key to lowering number of incarcerated women, advocates say
Substance abuse, poverty, economic disadvantages, and mental health issues have contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of women incarcerated in Texas in the last three decades, community leaders, law enforcement officials and attorneys said Wednesday.