Stephenville UFO traveling at 27 mph apparently broke no speed limits
... and thus was not cited by police.
The shocking (NOT!) final word on the Stephenville saucer sightings: they will remain mysterious.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Texas-Wide Issues
Texas-Wide Issues
Five Dallas-area institutions make 2008 list of Texas’ “Most Endangered Historic Places”
List includes Dallas Grand Hotel and Sons of Hermann Hall.
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008
Texas can do better on societal issues
The state is a model of how not to do it in just about every category related to the prevention and relief of human suffering and societal injustice.
Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007
Daylight savings Saturday night will likely wreak havoc on clocks and teen drivers
One-week delay in daylight savings time is thoroughly confusing VCRs and other timed appliances that re-set themselves last week.
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007
Water company of top political donor T. Boone Pickens to benefit from new legislation
Texans for Public Justice examines relationship between Pickens' political donations and the newly relaxed legislation on eminent domain that will benefit his utility companies.
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007
New Texas law allows us to carry all kinds of weapons in our cars without a license
Just cover 'em up with a blankie, and you're good to go. It really is time to consider moving to another state.
Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007
Why not make visiting prisoners easier in Texas?
English teacher John Crisp from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi recounts a recent trip to a South Texas prison to visit a young man who'd violated his probation on a marijuana charge.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
DMN expose’ finds flaws with TYC private contractors
The News article, however, fails to mention that TYC recently issued and received bids on another RFP for private contractors to begin to house 10-13 year olds by October 31 of this year.
Monday, July 30, 2007
State of Texas spending $20 million to fight childhood obesity
The deadline for schools to apply for a Texas Fitness Now grant is Oct. 1.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
TXU ordered to pay another $5 million in fines for bilking customers
This time, TXU is getting fined for automatically renewing business customers for unwanted services.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Texas prosecutors reflect on 80th session
What did Texas prosecutors think about the 80th Texas Legislature? For $100 you can find out at a legislative update from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association near you.
Monday, July 23, 2007
More than 10% of Texans currently wanted by police
We like to throw people in jail for trivial traffic offenses, then complain about overcrowding.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Parole board counts 2,324 separate Texas felonies; where will it end?
How many different ways are there to commit felonies in Texas? Certainly more ways than I could ever imagine.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Help rebuild TYC
I've said before that the Texas Youth Commission's is an agency in turmoil, suffering from short-sighted and opaque management, poor overall morale, and high employee turnover.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Semantic games aim to rewrite TYC history
The Texas Youth Commission agrees with most of the feds' criticisms of problems at the Evins unit in Edinburg over the last few years, and agrees the facility should have federal monitors, though for two years instead of four like the feds want.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Video of police encounters would reduce perjury in Texas
Videotaping eliminates the scenario of your word against that of the officer.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Steroid testing might not be ready for implementation in the fall
It's probably best not to rush a program that will cost over $4 million and test around 22,000 Texas high school athletes per year.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Will TDCJ take over TYC by stealth? Have they already?
Will the Texas Youth Commission solve problems with the state's juvenile corrections system by handing it over to the people who turned Texas' adult system into an international disgrace?
Monday, July 16, 2007
TYC will move young offenders to contract facilities; agency leadership mistaking Texas Register for public process
Two people at yesterday's Texas Youth Commission "State of the Agency" event asked how the public could have input as the troubled agency revamped its rules. The department heads replied that they could be contacted personally.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Grits commenter questions may get answered in TYC FAQ
I can see why Texas Youth Commission employees who've commented about the "State of the Agency" briefings by TYC brass called the events "dog and pony shows" that left them feeling underwhelmed.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Dallas legislators review bright spots and regrets from the 80th Texas Legislature
The Dallas Morning News asked Dallas area state legislators "In what way did you make the biggest impact, what was the Legislature's biggest accomplishment for the state and for your district, and what was your biggest regret?"
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
CrimJust Agency Boards meet this week; Learn the nuts and bolts of juvenile law
Three key state criminal justice agencies' boards - the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ), the Public Safety Commission (DPS) and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission - will all meet in Austin later this week.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Important questions still unanswered by TYC State of the Agency tour
A commenter in this Grits post about the Texas Youth Commission's "State of the Agency" tour says "someone needs to ask the important questions that the dog and pony show doesn't address."
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
New Don’t Mess with Texas campaign features “designer litterbags”
In a desperate effort to reduce litter, TXDoT resorts to the use of "younger generation" lingo such as "freak," "tattoo," and "swag."
Monday, July 9, 2007
How not to get your ass kicked by the police
When I was director of the Police Accountability Project at the ACLU of Texas (2000-2006), I was asked with some frequency to give presentations to various local groups around the state who would always specify some topic beforehand that I'd dutifully research before arrival.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Make the Connection: Phones installed in Texas prisons by September 2008
Just because legislation isn't controversial doesn't mean it's not important
Monday, July 2, 2007
Restorative Justice Conference link roundup
Having completed the posts I'd planned on the 2007 national restorative justice conference last week in Kerrville, TX, I thought I'd compile them all in one place for my and own and other folks' convenience.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Juries getting it wrong 13% of time?
A study from Northwestern University estimating the accuracy of jury verdicts finds juries in criminal cases get it wrong 13% of the time.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
TYC “State of the Agency” Briefing
Thanks to a commenter for letting me know the Texas Youth Commission Executive Director Dimitria Pope is holding a "State of the Agency Tour" to inform staff and the public what's going on at the troubled youth prison agency where an internationally publicized sex scandal led to incomplete, sometimes eviscerating reforms.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Juvenile corrections could be next venue for restorative justice in Texas
I've got much more to write about when I get a chance, but wanted to record this thought: In Texas, perhaps the Texas Youth Commission's transformation might be an opportunity for testing restorative justice principles in the Lone Star State.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Why Texas’ corrections costs are (relatively) low and why it’s an illusion
Why are Texas' prison costs growing slowly compared to other states, and can we expect the trend to continue?
Monday, June 18, 2007
New law makes PE mandatory in Texas schools
Could reading and writing be next?
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Legislature approves new prison beds
Here you have it - the 60 second version of 140 days of politicking.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Opponents of jail overcrowding measure ignore its permissive nature
In counties like Dallas, which recently had to release 700 inmates under orders from the Commission on Jail Standards, law enforcement is desperate for tools to manage jail populations, and the easiest way to do that, just like in the prison system, is to reserve incarceration for more serious offenders.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Criminal justice funding in the 80th Texas Budget
Add it all up and criminal justice funding in the 80th Texas budget will cost taxpayers $17 billion, with a "B," in the next biennium.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
New TYC rules make more kids eligible for release
Several new rules just took effect at the Texas Youth Commission that have received little attention and surprisingly no public comment since they were proposed in April.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Marlin next company town for Texas’ prison system
Marlin will become Texas' next prison town thanks to a combination of actions by the 80th Texas Legislature.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
What did the Texas Lege really do on TYC now that the dust has cleared? Part I
After a discussion over the weekend with Grits commenters about whether it was appropriate for legislators to claim to have "fixed" the Texas Youth Commission, I thought I'd take a closer look at what WAS done in SB 103, the main TYC reform legislation
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Grits For Breakfast releases 2007 Liberty Index
Scott Henson has put together an analysis of votes on the key criminal justice and civil liberties issues facing the state over on Grits For Breakfast.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Study: Cuts to state jail drug treatment increasing Texas crime
A new research paper from the Urban Institute called Returning Home (available here) says the removal of drug treatment from Texas state jails in 2003 by the Legislature made it more likely offenders would commit new crimes.
Monday, June 4, 2007
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