Prison and Jail Innovation Lab

09/24/2024

Please join the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) for a film screening and panel discussion about “Solitary Confinement in Prison” on Monday, October 7, from 5:15 – 6:45 pm at the Law School (TNH 2.137).

We are screening the 2023 short film “The Box: 27 Years in Solitary,” which explores the use of solitary confinement in prison. It focuses on the case of Dennis Hope, a man who spent 27 years in solitary confinement in a Texas prison and who took a lawsuit about his situation to the US Supreme Court.

After the screening will be a panel discussion with Jeremy Young, Senior Producer for Fault Lines, Al Jazeera’s current affairs news program, and the producer of the film; Molly Petchenik, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project which represented Dennis Hope in his Supreme Court challenge; Chanel Jones from the Lioness Justice Impacted Women's Alliance who has lived experience in solitary in a Texas women's prison, and Robert Lilly from Grassroots Leadership, also with lived experience in solitary. The panel will be moderated by UT LBJ/Law professor and PJIL Director Michele Deitch.

The event is organized by the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and is co-sponsored by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law at the Law School.

Please register for the event and help spread the word about it. Open to the Austin community.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-box-27-years-in-solitary-film-screening-and-panel-tickets-1021614024047?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/06/2024

I’m honored and privileged to have presented twice at in Singapore. One focused on women in custody that was scheduled during the same thematic workshop session as Barbara Owen—a giant in the field. The other as a panelist with Michele Deitch and Ivan Zinger, Canada’s Correctional Investigator, focused on prison oversight and re-entry. So wonderful to spend the week with colleagues and friends from around the world! Special thanks to the women at Singapore’s A4 facility that we met during our visit this morning. So proud of all of our work at the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab!

04/10/2024

is still going strong with Happy Horns Happy Hour! The first $10,000 in gifts from now until 8pm CT TONIGHT will be matched. Thank you those of you who have already donated to the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab! To those who haven't, please join us by clicking below. Every gift counts!

We only have 40 hours

04/09/2024

The Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) is getting ready for The University of Texas at Austin's annual day-of-giving--40 Hours for the 40 Acres--which launches tomorrow!

Please join us over the next two days to support PJIL. With your help, we can work to ensure safer and more humane treatment of people in prisons and jails, continue to transform the national landscape of prison oversight, and provide incredible opportunities for our The LBJ School of Public Affairs and The University of Texas School of Law students to work on projects that have an impact on policy and practice. If PJIL has been helpful to you in your work, please show your appreciation by making a donation now. Every contribution helps!

The campaign officially kicks off tomorrow, April 10th, at 6 am, but you can donate early! The campaign closes on Thursday, April 11 at 10 pm. Michele Deitch, Alycia Welch, and all of us at are deeply grateful for your support.

To donate, please visit this link and click on the "Donate" button:

Jump-start 40 for Forty

11/30/2023

Making prisons and jails transparent and accountable. A one-stop shop to learn what correctional oversight looks like and how to[...]

11/17/2023

The Prison and Jail Innovation Lab is proud to announce the launch of the National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight, an online clearinghouse and one-stop shop for all things related to prison and jail oversight. The website and digital repository offers research insights, state-specific data, interactive maps, detailed profiles of oversight bodies, background info, legislative developments, and news updates. We're especially excited about the video on our homepage featuring formerly incarcerated leaders and family members talking about why we need independent . Thank you, Arnold Ventures for supporting this project and our team and The LBJ School of Public Affairs for your continued support of our work. Check it out at www.prisonoversight.org!

Making prisons and jails transparent and accountable. A one-stop shop to learn what correctional oversight looks like and how to[...]

09/07/2022

Please join us for the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab’s inaugural event—an evening with journalist , author of the new memoir “Corrections in Ink,” on Tuesday, Sept. 20, @ 5:15pm . Details below. Please RSVP:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSr2jiP-TDpXxkQxUz3T7zfXpLR6paGXbIc7ah2bRKfekXrA/viewform

07/14/2022

Starting soon! Hope you can join us via Facebook Live: https://m.facebook.com/RepKarenBass

04/19/2022

We're out with a new blog post! In “Left in Harm’s Way,” Josh McClain—one of our incredible student researchers—looks at the importance of evacuating prisons, reflecting on both the grim situation in Ukrainian prisons and natural disasters in the US. Read it here: pjil.lbj.utexas.edu/left-harms-way.

“Left in Harm’s Way” is part of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab’s “Degree of Civilization” blog series. Learn more about the series and read past posts here: pjil.lbj.utexas.edu/blog.

Michele Deitch Alycia Welch The LBJ School of Public Affairs

04/06/2022

kicks off today! We're thrilled that The LBJ School of Public Affairs chose to feature us, and hope you'll consider making a donation to the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab over the next 40 hours!

Learn more + make a gift: https://bit.ly/LBJ40for40. Click "Give Now," and make sure The LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab are selected on the next page.

With your help we can seek to ensure the safe and humane treatment of people in prison and jail, strengthen correctional oversight, and train the next generation of justice policy leaders. Thank you for your support!

Together We Can Change the World

04/06/2022

We're getting ready for The University of Texas at Austin's annual day-of-giving to launch tomorrow, 40 Hours for the Forty Acres! We're thrilled that The LBJ School of Public Affairs chose to feature the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab during this spring.

Please join us over the next 40 hours to support . With your help, we can seek to ensure the safe and humane treatment of people in prisons and jails. The campaign officially kicks off tomorrow, April 6th at 6am, but if you're like us and can't wait, you can start donating early!

To donate, please visit https://40for40.utexas.edu/giving-day/46023/donate?dept=46034. In the "Participating Groups" dropdown menu, select "LBJ School of Public Affairs." In the "Fund Designation" dropdown menu, select "Prison and Jail Innovation Lab." Gifts of any size are welcome, and participation numbers count!

And don't forget -- you only have 40 hours! The campaign closes at 10pm on Thursday, April 7th.

Michele Deitch, Alycia Welch, and all of us at are so grateful for your support!