History

Diane Wilson proposed an organization to help women in jail while she was still in a Texas county jail herself, in 2006. After she served her sentence, Wilson and two supporters, Houston activist Krishnaveni (Kinnu) Gundu and Austin writer/historian Diana Claitor decided to start an organization to call attention to what is going on in the crowded cells or “tanks.”

The first thing they did was go speak to the Texas Commission for Jail Standards at their May, 2006 meeting, calling themselves Jail Advocacy for Women. Then after brainstorming with peace activist Ann Wright and others, they chose a different name, the Texas Jail Project, because they wanted to help male inmates as well as females, and because the name had some power to it.

Then they begin to do some research and found a wonderful computer genius named Scott Gress who donated his services and made this great website. People started emailing for help almost from day one and everybody with a problem or a comment has taught TJP something about what the most urgent needs are.