News, commentary, and stories from the folks at Restoring Justice and the people we serve.
For Carol, policing is where the problems of the criminal legal system start. She recounts one night a police officer approached her as she was sleeping in her car. "I get better treatment when I do not reveal my housing situation versus revealing that I am homeless."
Read MoreHear Brianna Argueta’s experience with our aid against the injustices of Operation Lone Star:
From Houston we traveled to Dilley, TX to conduct client visits and quickly realized that the processes and rights due to our clients were merely an afterthought for the state - the prosecution, language interpretation, jail coordination, and basic record keeping were in disarray. We were among the first group of defense attorneys to see clients in-person. Some of our clients were arrested in early August, others in early September.
Read MoreTalking to our client Micheal is like talking to an old friend. He frequently smiles, even as he talks about the difficult conditions while inside Harris County Jail. During our most recent visit, Micheal spoke of his daily struggles, how he stays positive, and what he’s learned about himself throughout this experience.
Read MoreYou may have noticed that as part of our five year anniversary celebration, we've been reflecting on the past. Five years is both a milestone and a mere blink in time, but we aren't any less ambitious because of it! Typically buried under lists of clients and volunteers to call or court motions, some of the RJ folks shared their vision for the future.
Read MoreNearly half of the men in state or federal prison have at least one minor child, according to a U.S. Department of Justice survey. So we took some time to talk to Jason*: a father and creative who writes music, tells stories. We asked our client to share some of his thoughts on fatherhood and on becoming a parent to his now three year-old son while incarcerated.
Read MoreIn honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Megan Townson sat down with us to talk about mental health, its role in the criminal legal system and in our everyday lives. Megan works for Alethia Counseling Center, a Restoring Justice partner and resource for our clients, and is currently working towards her certification to be licensed professional counselor.
Read MoreMany of our partners and supporters marched for Black lives last summer, joining the almost 60,000 in Houston and millions across the country. The widespread outrage during those summer months made clear that collective action is integral to demanding justice. Many of us may be wondering: What now?
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