Texas CURE initiated and operates the ventilator project, which makes penniless inmates available to fans; Joan Covici and Michael Jewell, formerly of Con-Care, now run CURE, trying to answer individual questions about prison problems. Texas Cure P.O. Box 38381 Dallas, Texas 75238-0381 214-348-0293 www.texascure.org people who have been convicted of a crime and incarcerated in prisons are still entitled to a range of legal protections. In addition, there are many barriers that can prevent successful reintegration into the community. The following resources discuss local programs and tools designed to help a person reintegrate into the community after incarceration. Students will work with the Prison Justice League legal counsel to provide legal assistance to prisoners seeking claims against guards in federal courts for excessive force, denial of medical care, and other civil rights violations. Work includes legal research, case counselling, amicus curiae briefings and occasional prison visits. Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments (TCOOMMI) A special state agency that investigates the treatment or non-treatment of county jail inmates and oversees continuity of care. They are particularly useful when an inmate is not being treated for a mental illness. Email: tcoommi@tdcj.state.tx.us For inmates in the county, there are two main grounds for prosecution.

Disability Rights Texas – works to protect and promote the civil rights of people with disabilities – mental disorders as well as physical problems and disabilities. They can help when rights have been violated and they try to ensure that people with disabilities have access to information about their rights. Certain rights are guaranteed to every individual under the United States Constitution, the Texas Constitution, and other laws. Some of these rights include: 1405 Montopolis Drive, Austin, TX 78741 512-474-5073 ext. 105 (To see if they can help you with a case, you`ll need to call on a Thursday from 2 to 4 for an initial interview and demonstration.) Problems with your lawyer? The State Bar Clients/Attorneys Assistance Program may be able to help. Their task is to settle disputes between lawyers and clients. Visit the State Bar Association website for information and forms to complain or report an attorney in the PUBLIC section. For all other complaints, it is best to write an email or letter first. The Texas Commission on Prison Standards is responsible for investigating and reporting your complaint to you.

Each county jail in Texas has different complaint procedures. A detainee may not take legal action against the conditions of detention without first filing a complaint. Go to the webpage on their prisoners` rights and scroll down to the “Self-Help – Complaint Process” section, then scroll down to the “For District Jail Inmates” section. Their prisoners` rights program aims to improve conditions in Texas prisons through litigation and advocacy. They take on very few cases in terms of prosecutions, but it`s worth a try. National Fathers Resource Center – Fathers for Equal Rights, Inc. (214) 953-2233PO Box 50052Dallas, TX 75201Criminal, Civil Rights, Divorce and Family Hardin County Crime Victims Assistance Center (409) 246-4300440 West Monroe, Highway 326Kountze, TX 77625Crime, Domestic Violence and Family The Prison Commission is supposed to regulate prisons by inspecting them to determine if they meet “minimum standards.” They do not deal with your complaints about criminal cases such as rape or assault. They will tell you to report it to the Texas Rangers (see our list) or the FBI. However, we recommend that you continue to report rapes and assaults to the Prison Commission, as they become much more vigilant about this prison after hearing about such crimes.

Attention: Director Brandon Wood P.O. Box 12985 Austin, TX 78711-2985 FAX: 512-463-3185 Texas Inmate Families Association P.O. Box 300220 Austin, TX 78703-0004 Phone: (512) 371-0900 Please copy and retain a copy of your complaint and email it to the Texas Jail Project. Please also inform us if you do not receive a response to your complaint! Constitutional challenges by remand prisoners can be raised according to two alternative theories: as an attack on a “condition of detention” or as an “episodic act or omission”. Hase v. City of Corinth, Miss., 74 F.3d 633, 644–45 (5th Cir. 1996) (bench). If the applicant has correctly asserted an allegation as an attack on the conditions of detention, he or she is relieved of the burden of proof of the real intention of a municipal institution or prison officer to punish because, as discussed below, the decision to place a prisoner on an unconstitutional condition may be considered intentional.

Texas Commission on Prison Standards Mr. Brandon Wood, Executive Director P.O. Box 12985 Austin, TX 78711-2985 OFFICE: 512-463-5505 FAX: 512-463-3185 Email: brandon.wood@tcjs.state.tx.us Texas Civil Rights Project: Self-Help Resources – Your step-by-step instructions for filing complaints are available online on the same page and also at LawHelp.com. GROUPS THAT HELP INMATES THROUGH BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS Contact your STATE REPRESENTATIVE and/or DISTRICT SENATOR and inform them of problems and situations with your prison or prison administration. To find out who represents your region, visit this website: Who Represents Me? All you have to do is enter your address and zip code to find out who your elected representative is and how to contact them: Texas Department of Criminal Justice (936) 437-52032503 Lake RoadHuntsville, TX 77342Criminal, Appeals and Immigration Telephone: (214) 348-0293 (Joan or Michael) or (214) 893-0784 (ask for Joan) or (214) 460-5713 (ask for Michael) Email: Jccovici@earthlink.net This chart shows all the different dishes and their places in the system: Structure of Texas dishes VINELink (vinelink.com): the online version of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). You can get timely and reliable information on criminal cases and the detention status of offenders 24 hours a day. ACLU of Texas – They had a prison and a prison accountability project, and they have not investigated or prosecuted on behalf of Texas state prisoners since 2014. ACLU policy strategist Matt Simpson always oversees and evaluates county jail standards and frequently alerts the Texas Commission on Prison Standards to issues. Email or Call: Katy Hoskins, Katy@promisecamp.org or 325-235-715 P.O. Box 301587 Austin, TX 78708-0027 OFFICE: 512-441-8123 This group works in various areas, from the Juvenile Justice Initiative to the Just Defense Project and three others, so please visit their website for more information.

If your complaint is an urgent emergency, such as a lack of essential medicines, call: 512 463-5505 and ask for the complaints inspector. The Equal Justice Initiative confirmed this listing on 29 September 2022. Actual Innocence Clinic – University of Texas School of Law (512) 471-5151University of Texas School of Law, TX 78705Criminal and Appellate Proceedings First, make sure you have a lawyer who knows exactly what matters. Not every lawyer knows this, and you need one who has experience in this type of case. You can then take legal action back to 1983. What is it? The 1983 trials are federal trials based on constitutional violations. The 1983 trials can be an effective way to break the veil of sovereign immunity that states and local governments so often grant each other. Area of Focus/Description: IJI advocates on behalf of convicted prisoners, juvenile offenders, wrongfully convicted or accused of violent crimes, poor people without effective representation, and others whose trials are marked by racial bias or misconduct on the part of prosecutors.

EJI works with communities marginalized by poverty and discouraged by inequality, and serves the state of Alabama and the Deep South in general, working nationally on selected issues. EJI also produces reports, newsletters and manuals to assist lawyers and policymakers in vital criminal justice reform work. Texas Commission on Jail Standards – You can file your complaint by filling out the online form, writing a letter, or faxing a brief description. They prefer that you write to them or file a complaint online before calling their office. Click here> Online Complaints. Currently none. We`ve included Texas organizations on this site in the past, but in the past 12 months no organization has responded to our mailing, likely due to COVID. In the meantime, we recommend that you access the online version of the Prison Lawyers` Handbook and send the relevant chapters to your detained parent. AIDS Services by Austin (512) 458-2437P.O. Box 4874Austin, TX 78765Criminal, Bankruptcy, Civil Liberties, and Consumer Protection PJL works to improve conditions in Texas prisons through litigation, advocacy, and empowering our members. We respond to the needs of prisoners in Texas, challenge and hold criminal institutions accountable for their actions, and serve as a voice for prisoners and communities most affected by the criminal justice system.