New law designed to protect Texans from being jailed for minor traffic tickets has resulted in 300,000 fewer arrest warrants, announces Rep. Canales.
New law protects Texans from being jailed for minor traffic tickets
Pretrial & Defense
Federal judge rules Houston destroyed evidence in jail lawsuit
Houston city officials intentionally destroyed evidence, wiping crucial data from the computer drives of top police commanders that is potentially relevant to a lawsuit about the detention of suspects beyond the 48-hour deadline for a magistrate hearing, a federal judge has ruled.
Inmate who killed herself in Harris County jail had previously threatened suicide
The woman who killed herself last week in the Harris County jail while locked up on a theft charge with $1,500 bail had threatened suicide at least once in the days before her death, according to sources familiar with the case.
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.
Woman says she gave birth on jail floor after guards accused her of faking labor
Shaye Bear gave birth to her son, Cashh, in an Ellis County Jail cell in Waxahachie on Thursday. She was about five months pregnant.
Pre-trial justice group gives Texas a D rating
The Lone Star state notched up some bad marks in a newly released analysis of pretrial justice across the country.
Travis County wants to spend $97M on new women's facility at jail
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to ultimately postpone consideration to spend $97 million to build a new women's facility at the Travis County Correctional Complex (TCCC) and is expected to revisit the proposal in a year.
As Houston weighs housing ordinances, criminal justice reform advocates decry buffer rule
With the Houston City Council set to vote on proposed ordinances to overhaul regulations for boarding homes and other multi-resident housing, criminal justice reform advocates objected to a proposed 1,000 foot buffer zone for “alternative housing facilities,” saying it would make it harder to provide re-entry services.
Travis County Commissioners Vote To Delay Jail Expansion Funding
AUSTIN, TX — Travis County commissioners approved a year-long delay in allotting funding for the first phase of a $97 million women's jail expansion — a move hailed as a victory among criminal justice reform advocates who have long opposed increasing the facility's size.
Black Lives Matter, other groups seek removal of Harris County judge over Houston Chronicle comments
HOUSTON – Blacks Lives Matter: Houston and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, along with six other organizations, have called for the suspension and removal of the 209th District Criminal Court Judge Michael McSpadden for comments made in a Feb. 23 Houston Chronicle report the groups claim show racial bias.