Every weekday, a van from Gatesville arrives at the Waco bus station to deliver women released from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. And every weekday, women from Waco-area churches greet the ex-offenders, offering them a warm welcome, homemade cookies, handcrafted tote bags filled with helpful items and a prayer of blessing.

Read the rest of this article from the Baptist Standard.

In September, a report released by the Justice Department cited the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for not adequately addressing the needs of female inmates when it comes to trauma treatment, pregnancy programming, and hygiene. It charged oversight of policies, including those regarding strip searches, are conducted remotely– with no onsite visits to ensure compliance.

Multiple bills filed this session aim to address deficiencies in women's prisons.

Read the rest of this article at The Texas Tribune.

As festival season gets underway in Austin police are warning the public to be on the lookout for suspicious activity that could be linked to sex trafficking.

Read the rest of this article at Fox 7 Austin.

The underage victims of sex trafficking in San Antonio now have a new place to heal and overcome their trauma, thanks to a partnership between Roy Maas Youth Alternatives and a number of local donors.

Read the rest of this article at theTexarkana Gazette.

Bills addressing the basic needs of incarcerated women bolster the larger call for reform in the state prison system this session.

Read the rest of this article at the Texas Observer. 

On this International Women's Day, a group of women who've served time are demanding lawmakers pass a series of bills that would help meet the needs of the thousands of women who are locked up.

Read the rest of this article at Fox 7 Austin.

When Mia Greer went to prison, she says she wasn’t the only one who was punished. Her kids suffered too.

Read the rest of this article at High Plains Public Radio. 

Policy Background

Too often, women’s trauma, mental health, and substance abuse needs are inadequately addressed under current policies and practices.

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.

Read the rest of this article at My Statesman.