Most families know the conditions in jails and prisons subject their incarcerated loved ones to dangerous, unhealthy, and inhumane conditions. And when there is a contagious disease, whether it is measles, mumps, norovirus, or Covid-19 we know that our loved ones are in a precarious situation. We...
Family visits are important!Family members of incarcerated individuals are often referred to as "hidden victims" — victims of the criminal justice system who are neither acknowledged nor given a platform to be heard. And when family members are not allow...
Mercy and common sense must be a partner to justice.
Excessive, lengthy sentences for individuals who have committed crimes, both violent and non-violent are costly, counterproductive, and inhumane. Because of spending long decades in prison:
...
Once again, families of Texas inmates and criminal justice advocates are calling for independent oversight of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
The ...
TIFA is preparing advocacy trainings to help everyone stay engaged with the legislative process throughout the interim. It would be helpful to know how many people participated this year (and how) so that we can improve our outreach and education around the the criminal justice issues that are i...
We believe it is important to reframe the conversation around crime survivors and what they want from the criminal justice system. For too long, prosecutors, legislators, and other stakeholders have ignored the voices and experiences of people most impacted by crime and violence. We have seen the...
Criminal justice advocates and the families of Texas inmates are calling for independent oversight of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to help spot systemic issues before ...
We are sad to announce that due to
health reasons, Rita Castro will be stepping down as San Antonio Chapter
Chair effective immediately. Rita has been a vital part of TIFA and
the San Antonio chapter for over 15 years and has
helped so many people through her uncondi...
It
is that time of year again in Texas when employees and incarcerated individuals
may be affected by extreme heat conditions. Due to the potential for extreme
heat conditions it is imperative that everyone take precautions to help prevent
or reduce heat-related illnesses. TDCJ Administrative...
On May 17th TIFA will testify before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee about costs incurred by families visiting TDCJ and costs associated with incarcerated loved ones. The information gathered in this survey will give us updated information on how the recent visitation changes have helped o...
