People Against Prison Abuse: 2012

Saturday, August 11, 2012

TDCJ Inmate Dies Following Walker County Riot

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: 5th Circuit: Inmates can sue TDCJ over excessive h...

Grits for Breakfast: 5th Circuit: Inmates can sue TDCJ over excessive h...: After the suit was thrown out at the district court level, the federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said the Texas Civil Rights Project coul...

Sunday, July 29, 2012

How much did this lab cost TAXPAYERS in criminal justice fees, courts,attorneys, das, jails, prison,wrongful convictions, parole,etc.????Grits for Breakfast: No charges for lab worker drylabbing in Tarrant

Grits for Breakfast: No charges for lab worker drylabbing in Tarrant: The Tarrant County District Attorney will not impanel a grand jury to evaluate the actions of a lab worker in the medical examiners office w...

Friday, July 27, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: Written consent for vehicle searches and déjà vu a...

Grits for Breakfast: Written consent for vehicle searches and déjà vu a...: Grits was pleased to read that, starting next month, the Austin Police Department will require officers to obtain written consent for search...

Grits for Breakfast: When the state sues your car: Asset forfeiture fol...

Grits for Breakfast: When the state sues your car: Asset forfeiture fol...: At the Houston Press, Craig Malisow has a feature on a pair of asset-forfeiture cases , including a constitutional challenge to the practi...

Grits for Breakfast: 'Gagged, sealed and delivered,' and other stories

Grits for Breakfast: 'Gagged, sealed and delivered,' and other stories: Here are a few odds and ends that didn't make it into their own separate posts but merit Grits readers' attention: 'Gagged, Sealed, and De...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: New federal legislation would pump $300 million in...

Grits for Breakfast: New federal legislation would pump $300 million in...: The Nature News blog on Friday brought details of new federal legislation to fund research and improve standards in forensic science, at l...

Grits for Breakfast: Texas crime labs ill-equipped to handle coming vol...

Grits for Breakfast: Texas crime labs ill-equipped to handle coming vol...: The lede to the Nature News blog article mentioned in the last Grits post described a fascinating occurrence of faulty forensics I hadn'...

Grits for Breakfast: Criminal investigations focused on two DPS staffer...

Grits for Breakfast: Criminal investigations focused on two DPS staffer...: Rare and welcome coverage yesterday by Brenda Bell at the Statesman of contracting irregularities at the Department of Public Safety in a st...

Grits for Breakfast: Small-town justice: No recourse for alleged abuses...

Grits for Breakfast: Small-town justice: No recourse for alleged abuses...: Check out a story of alleged abuse of power by a rural prosecutor in this recent Texas Observer story by Patrick Michels. After attorney Ma...

Grits for Breakfast: Small-town justice: No recourse for alleged abuses...

Grits for Breakfast: Levin: On the virtues of individualized assessment...

Grits for Breakfast: Levin: On the virtues of individualized assessment...: Marc Levin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation had an exceptionally good column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram adumbrating the growing r...

Grits for Breakfast: Levin: On the virtues of individualized assessment...

Grits for Breakfast: Texas should conduct review of hair and fiber fore...

Grits for Breakfast: Texas should conduct review of hair and fiber fore...: Excellent news for those concerned with the lack of rigor in certain forensic science disciplines, this time hair and fiber analysis. The Wa...

Grits for Breakfast: House County Affairs Committee examines jail overc...

Grits for Breakfast: House County Affairs Committee examines jail overc...: I listened this afternoon to yesterday's House County Affairs Committee's hearing on their interim charge to "Conduct a general study of is...

Saturday, July 7, 2012

All in the name of "DRUG WAR"....Grits for Breakfast: Snitching here, there and yon

Grits for Breakfast: Snitching here, there and yon: Grits wanted to point out several compelling items related to confidential informants, including issues related to using juveniles as snitch...

FedCURE - Parole, Second Look, BARBER Amendment, Good Time Bill, Second Chance Act, H.R. 1475, Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009, H.R. 1593, S. 1060, H.R. 223, H.R. 3072, U.S. vs. Booker, Federal Prison, Federal Inmate(s), Federal CURE, "Using Technology To Bring About Federal Criminal Justice Reform" TM

FedCURE - Parole, Second Look, BARBER Amendment, Good Time Bill, Second Chance Act, H.R. 1475, Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009, H.R. 1593, S. 1060, H.R. 223, H.R. 3072, U.S. vs. Booker, Federal Prison, Federal Inmate(s), Federal CURE, "Using Technology To Bring About Federal Criminal Justice Reform" TM

Texas Jail brutalizes Mentally Disabled Inmates beyond description....Tarrant County jailer brutalized inmates, lawsuits say | Crime and Safety | News from Fo...

Tarrant County jailer brutalized inmates, lawsuits say | Crime and Safety | News from Fo...

Friday, July 6, 2012

Please help "TAKE ACTION" to support the Inmates that have filed lawsuits...TEXAS aka TDCJ PRISON HEAT CONDITIONS

TEXAS aka TDCJ PRISON HEAT CONDITIONS

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: Will Texas expand Medicaid coverage under Obamacar...

Grits for Breakfast: Will Texas expand Medicaid coverage under Obamacar...: The Internet today, naturally, is abuzz with commentary about the US Supreme Court's ruling upholding most of "Obamacare" but giving states ...

Grits for Breakfast: Crime declines too big to attribute to police fals...

Grits for Breakfast: Crime declines too big to attribute to police fals...: Whenever it's mentioned on this blog that crime rates have declined for the past two decades, a slew of anonymous commenters show up who cla...

Grits for Breakfast: Crime declines too big to attribute to police fals...

Grits for Breakfast: Courts as revenue centers: Mounting probation and ...

Grits for Breakfast: Courts as revenue centers: Mounting probation and ...: The New York Times today has a front-page story titled, " Poor land in jail as companies add huge fees for probation ," and the story mentio...

Grits for Breakfast: Private prison news: Inmate deaths, contractor cha...

Grits for Breakfast: Private prison news: Inmate deaths, contractor cha...: A few items related to private prisons caught my eye recently that may interest Grits readers: Antibiotics allegedly delayed in pneumonia ...

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: More litigation over summer heat in Texas prisons:...

Grits for Breakfast: More litigation over summer heat in Texas prisons:...: The New York Times and the Texas Tribune both published stories yesterday about litigation over extreme heat in Texas prisons, a subject ...

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Pray for ALL the TEXAS INMATES without AC....High of 109 in Austin sets new June record

High of 109 in Austin sets new June record

Sunday, June 24, 2012

RELEASE,RELEASE Non Violent Offenders and those egible for Parole Good Time....Grits for Breakfast: TDCJ staffing woes growing more acute: CO departur...

Grits for Breakfast: TDCJ staffing woes growing more acute: CO departur...: After TDCJ closed a wing of the Connally unit because of understaffing among correctional officers (COs), Grits asked for data regarding st...

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: With California de-incarcerating, Texas leads stat...

Grits for Breakfast: With California de-incarcerating, Texas leads stat...: Texas now has the largest prison population of any state after California reduced its prison population by tens of thousands, as directed by...

Grits for Breakfast: Adult prison model wrong approach for juvenile off...

Grits for Breakfast: Adult prison model wrong approach for juvenile off...: Finally, we're seeing corrections professionals standing up to some of the misguided policy suggestions from the media and legislators regar...

Grits for Breakfast: Appellate judge: 'These guys are sitting in an ove...

Grits for Breakfast: Appellate judge: 'These guys are sitting in an ove...: Last year a federal district judge in south Texas threw out a lawsuit by an aged prisoner who sued over extreme heat in the un-air conditio...

Grits for Breakfast: Appellate judge: 'These guys are sitting in an ove...

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: Uncertainty at key committee chair slots clouds cr...

Grits for Breakfast: Uncertainty at key committee chair slots clouds cr...: Brandi Grissom at the Texas Tribune a couple of weeks ago had an article first published behind their Texas Weekly paywall discussing the ap...

Sunday, June 10, 2012

The Backgate Website: Ex-TDCJ PIO Michelle Lyons files lawsuit against T...

The Backgate Website: Ex-TDCJ PIO Michelle Lyons files lawsuit against T...: By Duane Stuart, Backgate Website Well it's official, after a phone conversation i had with Ms. Lyons earlier today, she verified a laws...

"Everything Legal Is Not Moral": Why We're Taking Solitary Confinement to Court

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Judge next witness in lawyer's corruption trial - Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

Monday, June 4, 2012

Where are the felony charges against the Mother and Cousin???? Grits for Breakfast: Juvie sex-assault sentence overturned based on rec...

Grits for Breakfast: Juvie sex-assault sentence overturned based on rec...: Slowly but surely, in leaps and starts (punctuated by inexplicable pauses and disappointing regressions), junk science long accepted in Texa...

Sunday, May 27, 2012

A Good one please be sure to read this one...Grits for Breakfast: Texas Monthly roundtable on innocence, punishing p...

Grits for Breakfast: Texas Monthly roundtable on innocence, punishing p...: Must-read stuff from Texas Monthly, including a fascinating roundtable discussion among exoneree Anthony Graves, the prosecutor who helped c...

Grits for Breakfast: Solitary confinement at Texas youth prisons: A bri...

Grits for Breakfast: Solitary confinement at Texas youth prisons: A bri...: "Off with her head!" I've seen this movie. From Mike Ward at the Austin Statesman, state Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John...

Friday, May 25, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: UTMB begins "transfer" of prison health services t...

Grits for Breakfast: UTMB begins "transfer" of prison health services t...: At the Galveston Daily News, Heber Taylor reports that , despite months of negotiation between the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and ...

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Lawsuit alleges toxic exposure at Marianna prison | marianna, prison, toxic - The News Herald

same thing happening in Beaumont Texas that houses federal and state of Texas Inmates,right on top of the Chemical refinery swamp lands, approximately 7 to 9 units here and 15,000 plus inmates...

Lawsuit alleges toxic exposure at Marianna prison | marianna, prison, toxic - The News Herald

Monday, May 21, 2012

FedCURE - Parole, Second Look, BARBER Amendment, Good Time Bill, Second Chance Act, H.R. 1475, Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009, H.R. 1593, S. 1060, H.R. 223, H.R. 3072, U.S. vs. Booker, Federal Prison, Federal Inmate(s), Federal CURE, "Using Technology To Bring About Federal Criminal Justice Reform" TM

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: New sentencing hearing ordered based on junk sex-o...

Grits for Breakfast: New sentencing hearing ordered based on junk sex-o...: Good news out of the Texas Supreme Court today, if not all one might hope from them. They ordered a new sentencing hearing for a man who's s...

Texas ordered to pay ex-inmate $2M over conviction | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Friday, May 18, 2012

Protest erupts after all-white jury acquits ex-Houston cop over teen’s beating

Monday, May 14, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: TDCJ flak allegedly faced retaliation for treating...

Grits for Breakfast: TDCJ flak allegedly faced retaliation for treating...: According to the Back Gate , a prison-guard run website, Michelle Lyons, the long-time chief flak at the Texas Department of Criminal Justic...

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Criminaltution of America

Criminaltution of America

Disrespect for The Constitution of The United States of America that is creating a Nation of Instutionalized Citizens who are innocent, wrongfully convicted, non violent crimes, accidents, career criminals developed out of children,no longer justice in the court system only plea bargains forced by prosecutorial misconduct, "WE THE PEOPLE" have to take charge to free our Nations from the WAR DECLARED by CONGRESS against the Citizens of This GREAT United States of America.The Industrial Prison System is now stacking people 3 tier deep in bunk beds (get visions of the Holocaust photos you have seen) with the bunks being placed in the GYMS because of out room. How does the Federal Government control Society, Lock up the undesirables which are the poor, race, mentally and physically disabled not be allowed to rent an apartment, to get a job, loose any licenses the person has to make a living, cannot vote in most states, can't defend their family with firearms, and on and on The United States of America has created a NATION of Career Criminal trying to survive when they are released from jails, prisons, etc..What is being done is NOT working, what do you do when something is not working or broken, you fix it or change it.Who out there wants to reach out to make a difference.Your help is needed, become a 2Million Plus Citizen in Action Team Member, without you nothing can be changed.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Reports underscore safety, security issues at Giddings youth lockup

Thursday, May 3, 2012

WHAT???? Grand jury no-bills officers who used altered DNA report to aid interrogation

Grand jury no-bills officers who used altered DNA report to aid interrogation

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Grits for Breakfast: 'As good as DNA'? Court of Criminal Appeals consid...

Grits for Breakfast: 'As good as DNA'? Court of Criminal Appeals consid...: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals yesterday heard arguments in a murder case where the conviction hinged primarily on a "scent lineup" con...

Grits for Breakfast: Juvie probation grant targets kids as young as six...

Grits for Breakfast: Juvie probation grant targets kids as young as six...: A couple of recent news stories detailed a new grant program for Texas juvenile probation departments. Reported the San Angelo Standard Time...

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Ex-Texas FBI agent gets prison in NYC for lying

Grits for Breakfast: Most TX police agencies yet to report on rape kit ...

Grits for Breakfast: Most TX police agencies yet to report on rape kit ...: Most police departments have not yet complied with a statutory deadline to report the number of untested rape kits in their possession as re...