Parole & Reentry

This Saturday, system-impacted Texans will gather in Edinburg for a community-building event. Organized by the Texas Center for Justice and Equity’s Statewide Leadership Council (SLC), the event will expand outreach to local community members who’ve been arrested, incarcerated, on probation or parole, or family members of those who have. “Know Your Rights! - Navigating the Legal and Carceral System” is free and will be hosted at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg.

This Friday, local coalitions and organizations will gather for a community conversation focused on incarceration, public safety, and healing. “The State of Public Safety Through Healing and Equity” will be led by crime survivors and Texans who’ve been personally impacted by the criminal punishment system. The event is free for all community members, and will be hosted at St. Edwards University.

On December 30, a group of formerly incarcerated and justice system-impacted Texans will convene in San Antonio. The event, “From Prison to Power: Finding Your Voice After Incarceration,” is organized by the Texas Center for Justice and Equity’s Statewide Leadership Council (SLC).

Read the rest of this press release here.

Texas has an incredibly large prison population that stands out internationally. Mass incarceration found a home here, and Austin is no exception. In Travis County alone, there are 2,294 people in jail.

Read the rest of this article from the Daily Texan.

When John Whitmire was handed the reins of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, county jails across Texas were buckling under a backlog of inmates, all awaiting transfer to state prisons that had no room for them. People locked up for violent crimes were routinely being let out early in their sentences to make room for low-level offenders, sparking public outrage.

Over the next couple of months, the city of Denton is seeking input from business owners and residents on a fair chance hiring ordinance that City Council will be voting on in January. The city is hosting two in-person sessions, a town hall event and virtual meeting opportunities in October and November.

A group of formerly incarcerated Texans is organizing to bring change to Texas prisons. A free event Saturday, called Prison to Power, focuses on helping people personally impacted by the criminal system.

Watch the full video from Fox 7 Austin.

Today, the Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE) released a guide to around 40 bills that passed into law during the 2023 session of the Texas Legislature. The majority of the new laws go into effect on Friday, September 1. These bills span youth and adult justice—including court processes and defense, probation and treatment options, incarceration and conditions of confinement, parole and reentry, and other relevant issues.