When someone has been convicted of a crime and has paid their debt to society, then they ought to have an effective second chance in life. The ability to find housing is an indispensable part of that second chance. HUD Secretary Julián Castro In 2015, the Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable undertook the task of assessing […]
Read MoreWe are happy to announce that we have a 2015/2016 Annual Report and new officers for the Roundtable! We would like to welcome the incoming officers in their new positions: Helen Gaebler, JD, UT School of Law – Chair Melissa Orren, Community Representative – Vice-Chair Sarah Pahl Worthington, MSSW, JD Texas RioGrande Legal Aid – Immediate Past Chair Reggie […]
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Laura Sovine, Past Chair, Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Planning Council Director of Operations, Austin Recovery What brought you to this work? While I was in graduate school to be a therapist, my mom married a man with two sons in prison; one was incarcerated in Georgia and the other was in Huntsville, Texas. My mom […]
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Kenneth Thompson, Member and Past Co-Chair, Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Planning Council Fatherhood Program Specialist, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services How long have you been involved with the Roundtable and what brought you to this work? I have been involved with the Reentry Roundtable since about two years after it began. I […]
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Helen Gaebler, Past Chair, Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Planning Council Senior Research Attorney, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, UT School of Law Tell me about your professional background. I grew up in Wisconsin and attended law school there. After graduating and clerking for a year at the Wisconsin Supreme Court, I […]
Read MoreThe Reentry Roundtable has launched an Advocacy Fellowship Program for individuals with lived experience navigating the criminal justice system and reentering the community, and we are thrilled to announce Lauren Johnson as our inaugural Fellow! Lauren previously served as a member of the Planning Council and XOffenders’ Council. Her fellowship commenced on February 1st and will continue […]
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In limited circumstances, Texas law allows you to remove information about an arrest, charge, or conviction from your criminal records. This means that all information about the offense is destroyed. Once your record is expunged, you may deny the incident occurred. With limited exceptions, you will no longer need to tell landlords, employers, or others […]
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Please join us for the 6th Annual Statewide Reentry Conference! When: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Where: Texas State Capitol Cost: Free! Panelists: Rep. Senfronia Thompson Sheriff Troy Nehls, Ft. Bend County Dr. William Lawson Judge Sarah Eckhardt In Partnership With: This conference is hosted by the Travis County Criminal Justice Planning Department in partnership […]
Read MoreAbout two weeks ago, City Council’s Economic Opportunity Committee took the first step toward mandating removal of the box on employment applications indicating whether the applicant has a criminal record. However, the rest of the package of proposals for fair chance hiring – all related to helping people with criminal records get jobs – was […]
Read More2015 has been a year of momentum and progress for the Roundtable. Due to the focus of the Strategic Plan as well as a strengthened administrative structure, we have undertaken a number of critical initiatives and have been able to capitalize on strategic partnership opportunities. Read our 2015 Annual Report to learn: The progress we’ve made on […]
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