The Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) and the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin have released videos and a report that focus on issues examining pretrial policies and procedures from a suspect’s arrest to trial. The resources stem from a statewide symposium at the University of Houston called “Police, Jails, and Vulnerable People: New Strategies for Confronting Today’s Challenges.”
The report, which is derived from symposium proceedings, details experts’ recommendations on such issues as policing, pretrial diversion for persons with mental illness, bail reform, jail safety and suicide prevention. Michele Deitch, a senior lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, prepared the compilation with the assistance of her graduate students.
“Texas lawmakers are poised to make some much-needed reforms on these issues in the next legislative session,” Deitch said. “We hope these resources will provide helpful guidance in shaping those reforms to be as effective as possible, so we can better protect public safety and the lives of those caught up in the criminal justice system.”
At the symposium some of the nation’s top experts offered their recommendations on ways to make the pretrial process in Texas more efficient, cost-effective, humane, and safer, especially for those with mental health issues. They were joined by several Texas legislators.
Population of focus: Courts, police departments and other individuals providing services for those in contact with the criminal justice system
Links to resource:
Date: 2016
Organization: The Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Houston Law Center and the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin