Texas spends $5 billion on a system that fails 75% of the time.
Why? Because our prisons have become the sole response our community gives to those who experience trauma and poverty, choosing a punitive response to these behavioral health challenges rather than a public health one. Prison then deepens this trauma. We have seen what this looks like firsthand:
It’s a 16-year-old boy, tried as man, who was put into solitary for his own protection, then just forgotten about for 11 years.
Or the 38-year-old man, who meets with his defense counsel with bruises across his face, explaining that these bruises where the latest in a string of violence he had experienced relentlessly since he was incarcerated at 15.
The Lone Star Justice Alliance is a non-profit legal organization that improves the lives of youth and emerging adults in the justice system.
LSJA is a dedicated team of advocates.
We envision a justice system that uses developmentally appropriate responses to behavior and treats youth and emerging adults with equity and dignity to promote resilience, conserve costs, and increase public safety.
Donate Now to support our efforts!