The Justice Project is focused on three main goals in Texas designed to fight the epidemic of wrongful convictions and to increase fairness and accuracy in the Texas criminal justice system: improving the quality of evidence in criminal cases; creating a mechanism to review errors in cases of wrongful conviction; and reforming the Texas indigent defense system.

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We coordinate a coalition of Texas-based advocates to raise awareness of and propose solutions to systemic problems plaguing the Texas criminal justice system, with a focus on indigent defense. Our public education, litigation support and legislative reform efforts address the underlying causes that lead to wrongful convictions and highlight the need for a fair and accurate system.

In June 2006, The Justice Project opened an office in Austin, Texas. The office is headed by Edwin Colfax, Texas Policy Director.

The Justice Project
Austin Office
510 S. Congress Ave. #304
Austin, TX 78704
PH 512-391-2320
FX 512-391-2330

  • Texas Reform News

    • The Timothy Cole Advisory Panel on Wrongful Convictions Begins Work
    At the close of the 2009 legislative session lawmakers approved a bill creating the Timothy Cole Advisory Panel on Wrongful Convictions to assist the Task Force on Indigent Defense in conducting a study on the prevention of wrongful convictions. The Cole panel was named in honor of Timothy Cole, a wrongfully convicted man who died in prison before DNA testing exonerated him. Read more here.

    Texas Governor Perry Replaces Forensic Science Commissioners at Key Juncture in Willingham Investigation
    On September 30, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced three members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission. The move drew national attention because the Commission is reviewing the flawed forensics behind the arson conviction of Cameron Willingham, who was executed in 2004. Read more here.

    Texas Reform News Archive


    TJP’s Texas Reports

    Convicting the InnocentConvicting the Innocent: Texas Justice Derailed
    In March, The Justice Project released Convicting the Innocent: Texas Justice Derailed. The report detailed how Texas leads the nation with 39 cases of wrongful conviction exposed by DNA. Since the report was published, at least two more innocent people have been rescued from Texas prisons based on DNA testing. Read about the latest exonerations.

    Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations in Texas: A Review of Current Statutes, Practices, and Policies
    A reviewable record of an interrogation is invaluable to judges and juries forced to settle disputes about what took place in the interrogation room. The Justice Project surveyed Texas police departments to determine if they record interrogations and why. Read the report and learn more about the problems.

    Eyewitness Identification Policies in Texas
    The Justice Project released an extensive survey of existing police polices for conducting lineups in Texas. The study documented an alarmingly high percentage of departments with no written guidelines at all, much less implementation of best practices recommended by the United States Department of Justice and other organizations. Read the report and learn about recent developments within Texas.