Rocks and Thorns

In 2014, more than 24,000 people were sent to prison in Texas due to probation violations. [i]   That is a number greater than the size o...

The sad truth about the criminal justice system is that it often serves its own purposes.   One of the most confusing moments for me...

Holliday Unit, Huntsville ,Texas I appreciated Scott Henson’s recent Grits for Breakfast post related to prison release rates in Texas ...

A Maximum Security Prison in the Netherlands I went to Houston last week to discuss the restoration of food-assistance benefits to peop...

In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, also known as welfare reform.  The law includ...

Months ago, I attended a hearing of the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee to give testimony for HB 1510, which ultimatel...

Last Thursday, July 30 th , I gave testimony before the House Committee on County Affairs regarding the issues arising from Sandra Bland’s ...