In Texas, approximately half a million residents can face completely legal housing discrimination due to their criminal records. Texas has the highest incarceration rate of “any other democracy” according to the Prison Policy Initiative. When members of this population of 251,000 are released, they face barriers in finding affordable housing across the state, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Incarceration is “uniquely detrimental” to women, particularly if they are mothers, and authorities should consider alternative approaches to punishment for them, says a Texas justice advocacy group. “With a fraction of the money it costs to incarcerate a mother, we can support her with tools to address underlying needs, as well as keep her with her children and in the community –in turn preventing trauma and loss for the entire family unit,” argued the Texas Center for Justice and Equity, in a special report on “Motherhood and Pregnancy Behind
A report released today by the Texas Center for Justice and Equity (TCJE) highlights the experiences of mothers in Texas prisons and jails. “Motherhood and Pregnancy Behind Bars: Texas Must Rethink How It’s Treating Mothers and Families” urges leaders to protect the lives and dignity of currently incarcerated women while taking real, viable steps to keep people out of the criminal legal system altogether.
Melissa Lucio supporters are holding a National Day of Action across the country just four days ahead of her scheduled execution date. Lucio is set to be put to death on Wednesday, April 27. She was convicted of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2007 but has maintained her innocence over the years. Lucio said her daughter's death was an accident after suffering injuries falling down a flight of stairs at their South Texas home.
Supporters of death row inmate Melissa Lucio gathered at the Texas Capitol Sunday afternoon in an effort to stop her execution scheduled for next week. It's the latest effort underway to save Lucio, who was convicted of killing her youngest daughter in 2007. She is scheduled to be executed on April 27.
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Andrew and Jolie about Texans’ role in the confirmation hearing of Ketanji Brown Jackson and two important death penalty cases.
Abilene attorneys Blizzard and Zimmerman are co-sponsoring the first "Reentry Coalition Expunction Clinic in Abilene." This event is Friday, April 29, 2022, from 9 am until 4 pm. There will be two sessions that day one is in the morning and the second in the afternoon.
On April 2, a group of formerly incarcerated and justice system-impacted Texans will convene in Dallas. 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) and partners
On this episode, we’re talking about America’s high rate of recidivism – with nearly 80% of those incarcerated returning to prison after five years – and what can be done to reduce this figure.
Read the rest of this transcript or listen to the episode from the Access & Opportunity podcast.
