TCJE in the News


Press Contact: For all media inquiries, please contact Madison Kaigh, Communications Manager, at mkaigh@TexasCJE.orgor (512) 441-8123, ext. 108.


 

‘I just kept thinking he was coming home’: Suicides in Texas prisons hit 20-year high

In his last letter home, Sawyer Letcher was searching for forgiveness.

“You are my hero and my inspiration — I love you more than life,” the 19-year-old prisoner wrote to his mother. “I did a lot of messed up stuff and I am just realizing now. I was just broken, trying to find my way.”

Read the rest of this article at the Houston Chronicle. 

Meet the advocates lobbying Texas lawmakers for more money and support this session

During the Texas legislative session, the Capitol sees a rush of advocates. Our latest "Under the Dome" episode features two people lobbying on issues they are all too familiar with.

Watch the video from the Texas Tribune.

House considers expanding voting eligibility to felons on parole

Texas would grant felons who on parole or under supervision the right to vote if an effort by Democratic state representatives becomes law.

Read the rest of this article at the Statesman. 

HB 344 aims to protect anyone, 17, from being prosecuted as an adult

A new bill could change the way the Texas justice system upholds the law against minors who are a year away from being an adult.

Read the rest of this article at 4 Valley Central.  

Push to stop charging 17-year-olds as adults clears one hurdle

You have to be 18 to vote, to join the military or to get married without parental permission — but in Texas, you don’t have to be 18 to be considered an adult. State lawmakers are once again considering whether we should treat 17-year-olds as adults when they commit crimes. 

Read the rest of this article from KXAN.

Democrat disputes $1.2 billion estimate to cool Texas prisons

Urging a Texas House committee to support his bill that would require state prisons to be kept at no more than 85 degrees in the summer, Rep. Terry Canales disputed the prison system’s $1.2 billion cost estimate to add air conditioning to all units.

Read the rest of this article from the Austin American-Statesman.

Texas officials say it would cost $1 billion to cool prisons – but they’ve grossly overestimated AC costs before

An estimate to put air conditioning into one prison changed from more than $20 million to $4 million last year.

Read the rest of this article at The Texas Tribune. 

New Report Shares Lessons Learned from Youth Justice Visioning Sessions Across Texas

The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition held a series of community visioning sessions across Texas, from July through October 2018, to answer this question: What do young people need to avoid justice system involvement and lead successful lives?

Read the rest of this press release here.

Bill aims to raise age of criminal responsibility

A bill under consideration by The House Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues has the potential to change the juvenile criminal justice system in our state.

Read the rest of this article at KXXV.com. 

As number of imprisoned Texas women grows, lawmakers hope to add "dignity" to their time behind bars

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

Read the rest of this article at The Texas Tribune.