County commissioners and law enforcement across Texas often talk a good game about reducing recidivism and diverting people with mental illness. However, at the same time, many officials—and the jailhouse culture—erect barriers to programming that could help inmates while they are incarcerated. Romy Zarate says such programs can turn a life around.
The Travis County jail is one of four nationwide — and the only in Texas — to allow new moms to breastfeed in custody.
“It’s in the interest of everybody to really assist a woman in that situation to rebuild her life and create a healthy home for her child,” said Diana Claitor, director of the nonprofit Texas Jail Project.
How did Athena Covarrubias manage to hang herself in a shower stall?
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, a few minutes after 10am, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office sent notice of what will likely be recognized as Texas’ 30th suicide in a county jail this year. The news came just as Lt. Gov.Dan Patrick and Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chair of the Senate’s Criminal Justice Committee, were decrying the fact that the state had already recorded 29. Since 2012, 100 have suffered self-inflicted deaths in Texas jails
Jail Commission meeting --- Thursday, February 24, 2022 Despite the current wave of Omicron, the next TCJS quarterly meeting will be held in-person on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at
If you want to speak, read info below carefully. The only time you can make comments at this meeting is JUST PAST 9 AM DURING PUBLIC INPUT.
There no longer appears to be any access to the meeting through a phone line. More details are on their meetings page. Remember to check back closer to meeting date for possible changes in venue and agenda.
Jail Commission meeting -- Thursday, February 24, 2022
