The latest Texas Department Of Criminal Justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Lawmakers raced to get several bills passed before the 83rd Legislature's regular session ended. And with Monday's announcement of a special session, their work isn't done. Here's a look at the deals reached and the measures that fell short in the regular session. Full Story
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The clock is ticking for lawmakers hard at work to pass prize bills in the final days of the 83rd legislative session. Here's a look at what's still outstanding. Check back often: We'll update this story as deals are brokered or broken. Full Story
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This session, the Texas Association of Business put a focus on legislation related to criminal justice, as it advocated for bills aimed at helping ex-offenders get jobs. Here's a look at legislation that the group backed. Full Story
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UPDATED: The House on Tuesday tentatively approved a bill that would require a now-defunct legislative oversight committee to hire a third party to review solitary confinement conditions in Texas prisons and juvenile lockups. Full Story
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Correctional officers in a statewide union say that a 5 percent pay increase lawmakers have proposed in the state budget is not sufficient to stymie the corruption and reduce physical dangers they face every day. Full Story
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The House on Monday approved a bill that allows the state's sprawling prison system to continue operations but doesn't specifically shutter two privately operated lockups that legislators in the upper chamber have voted to close. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry withdrew his nomination of Annette Raggette of Austin to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice on Wednesday afternoon, citing conflict-of-interest concerns. Full Story
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Officials of a prison workers' union say that understaffing had a role in the 1999 murder of a correctional officer, who was fatally stabbed by an inmate. They say such issues continue to exist and put officers in danger today. Full Story
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A fight over what defense lawyers could do with information about their clients in criminal cases after prosecutors turn it over to them is threatening to stymie the “Michael Morton Act.” Full Story
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UPDATED: The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to increase the range of potential punishment for hit-and-run accidents that result in deaths. Full Story
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A state Senate bill aims to give extra protections to people who film on-duty police officers with their smartphones or other devices. The author, Sen. Craig Estes, says the measure addresses charges that could be filed as retribution. Full Story
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The mental health code doesn't give police the right to take a gun from someone who is having a mental health crisis. Mental health advocates, judges and law enforcement officials are urging state lawmakers to address gaps like that one. Full Story
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The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition has released a report calling on lawmakers to approve several bills that would increase supervision over the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which oversees the state’s prisons. Full Story
This six-part series explores the intersections of the mental health and criminal justice systems in Texas, examining the case of Andre Thomas, a death row inmate who awaits a court decision on whether he is sane enough for execution. Full Story
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A union representing Texas prison employees is calling on the Legislature to consider a pay raise for correctional officers, citing a rise in drilling jobs that can be more lucrative than prison jobs. Full Story
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The case of death row inmate Andre Thomas offers a lens through which to examine the effects of a long underfunded mental health system and raises important questions about how Texas punishes the mentally ill. Full Story
Texas has paid 89 exonerees nearly $61 million since 1992, according to data from the Texas comptroller's office. Use this interactive to see how much money the state has paid to exonerated prisoners by fiscal year. Full Story
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The Prison Entrepreneurship Program at the Cleveland Correctional Center trains selected inmates, who will soon be released, to design their own businesses. Here's a series of photographs from a recent class. Full Story
Through a program operated by a Houston nonprofit, some Texas inmates who will soon be released get a chance to learn business skills and work on plans to start their own businesses. Full Story
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The Prison Entrepreneurship Program at the Cleveland Correctional Center trains selected inmates, who will soon be released, to design their own businesses. Here's a series of photographs from a recent class. Full Story
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