Criminal Justice /tags/criminal-justice Criminal Justice en-US Copyright KUT News 2025 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:36:48 GMT AP: Biden DOJ decided against corruption charges for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton /politics/2025-04-03/texas-ag-ken-paxton-no-federal-charges-fbi-investigation-corruption Paxton, who was accused of abusing his office to help a campaign donor, also beat impeachment charges based on these same corruption allegations. Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:36:48 GMT /politics/2025-04-03/texas-ag-ken-paxton-no-federal-charges-fbi-investigation-corruption Lauren McGaughy Texas prison staff falsified records about temperatures behind bars, internal investigation finds /crime-justice/2025-03-21/texas-prison-jail-investigation-heat-hot-false-falsified The investigation was triggered by a federal judge, who questioned the state’s recordkeeping. Inmates are suing the state, alleging the heat inside the state’s dozens of un-air conditioned prisons is dangerous. Fri, 21 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT /crime-justice/2025-03-21/texas-prison-jail-investigation-heat-hot-false-falsified Lauren McGaughy Texas prisoners, including death row inmates, may be able to vote under little-known elections law /news/2024-10-02/texas-election-voting-rights-felony-inmate Under a little-known Texas elections law, state prison inmates who are actively appealing their convictions are eligible to register and vote. Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:24:53 GMT /news/2024-10-02/texas-election-voting-rights-felony-inmate Lauren McGaughy Too much heat, not enough funding: State of Texas defends lack of prison A/C in federal court /crime-justice/2024-08-03/texas-prison-heat-ac-federal-court-hearing The state of Texas is being sued over the lack of air conditioning in its prisons, where indoor temperatures can top 100 degrees in the summer. In federal court, inmates detailed the extreme measures they’ve taken to get out of the heat, like starting fires or inflicting self-harm. Sat, 03 Aug 2024 11:00:00 GMT /crime-justice/2024-08-03/texas-prison-heat-ac-federal-court-hearing Lauren McGaughy For these incarcerated women, high school diplomas offer hope /education/2024-07-10/coleman-unit-lockhart-womens-prison-graduation About 70 women at the Coleman Unit in Lockhart graduated with a high school diploma this summer through a program run by the Goodwill Excel Center. Many said it reshaped how they saw themselves and their futures. Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:01:00 GMT /education/2024-07-10/coleman-unit-lockhart-womens-prison-graduation Becky Fogel Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cuts deal to have fraud charges dropped, trial canceled /politics/2024-03-26/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-cuts-deal-to-have-fraud-charges-dropped-trial-canceled Paxton, a Republican who was charged with felony securities fraud in 2015, has reached a deal with prosecutors that will let him avoid facing a jury next month. He did not have to admit guilt in agreeing to the terms. Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:12:11 GMT /politics/2024-03-26/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-cuts-deal-to-have-fraud-charges-dropped-trial-canceled Lauren McGaughy 'I'm not an animal:' Inmates endure a second week of hunger as they challenge prison living conditions /crime-justice/2023-01-18/im-not-an-animal-inmates-endure-a-second-week-of-hunger-as-they-challenge-prison-living-conditions An organizer alleged the prison was retaliating by interfering with the inmates' attempts to contact the outside world. Wed, 18 Jan 2023 23:02:10 GMT /crime-justice/2023-01-18/im-not-an-animal-inmates-endure-a-second-week-of-hunger-as-they-challenge-prison-living-conditions Paul Flahive Many Texans are too poor to afford a lawyer, but not poor enough for courts to provide one /crime-justice/2022-05-02/many-texans-are-too-poor-to-afford-a-lawyer-but-not-poor-enough-for-courts-to-provide-one A new report finds that Texas courts use very different yardsticks to decide who’s poor enough to get a court-appointed lawyer. That patchwork often leaves people without the legal defense in a criminal trial that the Constitution promises. Mon, 02 May 2022 12:52:43 GMT /crime-justice/2022-05-02/many-texans-are-too-poor-to-afford-a-lawyer-but-not-poor-enough-for-courts-to-provide-one Christopher Connelly Petition-Backed Measure To Mandate Police Staffing Will Go To Austin Voters /crime-justice/2021-08-03/petition-backed-measure-to-mandate-police-staffing-will-go-to-austin-voters If passed in November, the measure would require two officers per every 1,000 residents. Tue, 03 Aug 2021 21:07:53 GMT /crime-justice/2021-08-03/petition-backed-measure-to-mandate-police-staffing-will-go-to-austin-voters Andrew Weber Group Launches Effort To Put Decriminalizing Pot, Ban On No-Knock Warrants On Austin's November Ballot /crime-justice/2021-06-30/group-launches-effort-to-put-decriminalizing-pot-ban-on-no-knock-warrants-on-austins-november-ballot A coalition of Austin City Council members, political operatives and criminal justice advocates wants the policies to be enshrined in the city's charter� and say the effort doesn't run afoul of state law. Wed, 30 Jun 2021 20:22:14 GMT /crime-justice/2021-06-30/group-launches-effort-to-put-decriminalizing-pot-ban-on-no-knock-warrants-on-austins-november-ballot Andrew Weber