Politics & Policy
August 14, 2023
When It Comes to People Behind Bars, Texas Is Way Ahead
We keep putting convicts away. And lawmakers want those numbers to rise.
Jail
Politics & Policy
March 22, 2023
Texas Jails Are Crowded, Understaffed, and Dangerous. The Legislature Is Poised to Send Them More Inmates.
Two bipartisan bills would make it easier for judges to incarcerate defendants before trial. Criminologists say that’s bad for public safety.
Health
July 2, 2020
When COVID-19 Hit the Smith County Jail, One Tyler Activist Became a Citizen Watchdog
Dalila Reynoso, who started a friendship with Sheriff Larry Smith at Whataburger, now monitors local jails to keep him accountable.
Politics & Policy
June 2, 2020
How San Marcos Went From ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policing to Requiring That Officers Release Low-Level Offenders
Despite opposition from the local police union, the city passed Texas's most expansive ‘cite-and-release’ policy.
The Daily Post
April 23, 2015
Texas’s Problem With Truancy Is Getting Some Well-Deserved Attention
The way Texas punishes truancy is downright Kafka-esque—and it’s finally getting a lot of attention.
The Daily Post
December 11, 2013
A Diabetic Woman Died In The Irving Jail Because The Staff Didn’t Give Her The Insulin They Knew She Needed
Held in custody for 42 hours, 37-year-old Sarah Tibbetts died after being arrested while in possession of someone else's credit card and trace amounts of marijuanta in baggies in her purse.
The Daily Post
October 16, 2013
How Accurate Is This Guide To What Jail Is Really Like?
Ever wondered what it's like to go to jail? The Express-News sent a reporter through the booking process—but how well does it reflect the experience of people who aren't going in voluntarily?
The Daily Post
September 23, 2013
No, Brits, It’s Not Illegal To Masturbate In Texas
According to the Guardian, masturbation can get you two years in Texas, but you can buy your way out of jail time through a policy intended to ease overcrowding. Is there anything about our criminal justice system they wouldn't believe?
True Crime
April 1, 2009
Across the Line
Was the quaint East Texas town of Mineola home to a horrific child sex ring? Were the three people sent to prison last year for running it guilty? Was justice served? Depends on which district attorney you ask.
Business
September 30, 1997
Clifford’s Blues
Up on federal drug charges for the second time in fifteen years, the impresario of Antone’s nightclub in Austin may finally have to face the music.
News & Politics
December 1, 1988
The Line
Visitors to the Harris County Jail resign themselves to the hours they must spend waiting in line to get fifteen precious minutes with an inmate.
True Crime
August 31, 1976
Busting Out of Mexico
Two self-styled Texas soldiers of fortune engineered one of the more bizarre jailbreaks in history. Here’s how it happened.