The Core Blog

Stay up-to-date on our top priorities during the 85th Legislative Session. This issue falls under our Criminal Justice Reform work. Texas' jails are full of people who have not been convicted of any crime, but who are awaiting trial, costing the counties an estimated $905 million annually. The current system for making pretrial release decisions leads to individuals being detained primarily based on whether they have enough money to afford bail; low-income individuals remain in

Stay up-to-date on our top priorities during the 85th Legislative Session. This issue falls under our Children & Youth work. Texas Appleseed continues to support measures to improve school police training and data collection. Following the passage of House Bill 2684 in 2015, police officers in all school districts in Texas with more than 30,000 students are required to have at least 16 hours of youth-focused training. Unfortunately, the law does not require training for

Stay up-to-date on our top priorities during the 85th Legislative Session. This issue falls under our Children & Youth work. While the number of Class C charges filed against juveniles has dropped dramatically in the wake of 2013 reforms that eliminated ticketing of schoolchildren for minor misbehavior, for the more than 60,000 youth who are charged, the consequences are still severe. A Class C conviction results in high fines and a criminal record that can

Stay up-to-date on our top priorities during the 85th Legislative Session. This issue falls under our Fair Financial Services work: When someone is no longer able to manage their own money or property due to age, illness or another factor, they hope that they have entrusted their money to someone who is financially responsible and ethical. But, we know that abuse and exploitation occurs. Texas Appleseed supports creating better systems for financial service providers to

Stay up-to-date on our top priorities during Texas' 85th Legislative Session. This issue falls under Courts & Due Process: Texans without an attorney to represent them are often at a disadvantage during the legal process. Research shows few resources exist for pro-se litigants in Texas, and where there is information, it is inconsistent and difficult to access. To help improve the justice system, Texas Appleseed advocates that court websites must have links to self-help resources

With the 85th Session of the Texas Legislature in full swing, we wanted to share the list of priorities that Texas Appleseed will be working on. You can stay updated on specific issues and bills here. We'll have blog posts covering each issue, which we'll update throughout session. Criminal Justice Reform End Jail Time for Unpaid Fines in Texas Too often, traffic tickets and fines in other low-level misdemeanor cases derail low-income Texans' lives, sending

Hear Board Chair Elizabeth Mack, Founding Board Chair Greg Huffman, and long-time board member David Sharp talk about why they think the work of Texas Appleseed is important. Bonus: if Texas Appleseed were an animal, what kind of animal would it be? If you agree with them on why what we do matters, please consider an end-of-year donation. Board Members on the Importance of Our Work Video of Board Members on the Importance of Our

We asked three of our board members, current Chair Elizabeth Mack, founding Chair, Greg Huffman, and long-time board member David Sharp, to reflect on their experiences and highlights with Texas Appleseed. We are proud to have such an amazing and involved board, and we're glad that the feeling is reciprocated, at least by these three board members. Board Member Reflections on Texas Appleseed Video of Board Member Reflections on Texas Appleseed

Note: this post is an edited and condensed version of a wide-ranging conversation held between Judge Byrne and Texas Appleseed staff. Judge Darlene Byrne was first elected to the 126th Civil District Court in Travis County in 2001. She took over all child welfare cases in 2007, and also has the crossover docket of all children who are involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. She helped her court become a Model

This year, Texas Appleseed staff and volunteers traveled all over the state to interview over a hundred youth who were experiencing homelessness. They told us of devastating abuse that drove them onto the streets, the cold and hunger they faced, the complete absence of any adult they could trust. In spite of these stories, we were deeply moved by the openness, warmth, and resilience of the youth we met. You can hear their stories directly

Texas Appleseed’s youth justice reform work epitomizes what a relatively small but mighty advocacy organization can do to improve the treatment of youth who become ensnared in the juvenile justice system. Reforms advanced by Texas Appleseed in the juvenile justice arena have, over the years, helped to change the lives of thousands of youth – youth who otherwise would have been cast out of school, locked up, and denied the opportunities owed to all children

Jim Bethke, Executive Director of Texas' Indigent Defense Commission, discusses the passage of the Fair Defense Act of 2001 and its implications for all Texans. This video is part of Texas Appleseed's 20th anniversary. #TXAppleseedTurns20 Director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission Discusses Groundbreaking Fair Defense Act Video of Director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission Discusses Groundbreaking Fair Defense Act