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Jolie McCullough was a reporter at The Texas Tribune from 2015 to 2023. She began as a data visualization journalist and then reported on criminal justice policy, ranging from policing and courts to prisons and the death penalty. She joined the Tribune from the Albuquerque Journal, her hometown newspaper. She previously worked at the Arizona Republic and is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
There are 99 state prisons and jails in the state, and several of which are named after people with racist and sometimes violent histories, according to The Marshall Project. Full Story
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The Harris County sheriff has pleaded for help from a federal judge to make room at the “bursting” jail in Houston, where six inmates and two employees have died from COVID-19. Full Story
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Touting his public safety priorities for the legislative session, the governor continued to assail Austin for redirecting part of its police budget. He backed changes in police training, but said little else about reforming policing or accountability. Full Story
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A federal program known as the 1115 waiver helps pay for the costs of providing health care to people who are uninsured. Advocates for Medicaid expansion say it fills gaps in care that are caused by Texas’ refusal to expand coverage. Full Story
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The FBI reportedly warned law enforcement agencies in all 50 states of possibly armed protests after the U.S. Capitol was besieged by pro-Trump rioters. Full Story
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals took the rare step Wednesday in the landmark case of Roy Oliver, who was convicted of murder in the death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. Full Story
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Texas organizers said the insurrection at the U.S. capitol demonstrates how differently law enforcement is applied based on protesters' race and politics. Full Story
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From March until June, Texas had zero jury trials because of the pandemic, starting a backlog of cases that will take years to overcome. This summer some counties started experimenting with in-person jury trials, which have posed health risks for those involved. Full Story
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Texas officials have not detailed when jails and prisons — known hot spots of the coronavirus' spread — will receive doses of the vaccine. And many on the inside remain wary of getting the shot in prison. Full Story
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A newly appointed U.S. attorney announced a new joint law enforcement operation in Austin, blaming the city's crime on its police budget cuts. But homicides and aggravated assaults began rising in many major cities before budget discussions in the state's capital. Full Story
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