Certificates of Rehabilitation Project with Texas Criminal Justice Coalition

Students will research laws and policies from across the U.S. to assess the feasibility and potential effectiveness of introducing Certificates of Rehabilitation in Texas. A growing number of states are utilizing Certificates, which can have the effect of reducing employment, housing, and occupational licensing barriers for individuals with a criminal record.

Organization

Texas Criminal Justice Coalition

TCJC works with policymakers to promote smart-justice policies intended to safely ending mass incarceration without impacting crime rates. This work entails developing and advocating for alternatives to incarceration that address the root causes of criminal behavior; thereby ending the cycle of crime and reducing costs to the state. This work is only successful if those impacted by the criminal justices system have meaningful employment and housing opportunities upon release.

Project Details

Project Start Date

October 2015

Approximate hours of work requested
15 hours total over the course of fall semester
Training
Training will be provided in an initial meeting with the supervising attorney; additional meetings will be scheduled as needed for planning and to answer questions
Skills used
Legal research/writing; policy research; community education/outreach; outreach to national reentry and employment experts
Project location
The law school and other locations, at the student’s discretion
Address
1714 Fortview Road, Suite 104, Austin, TX 78704
Number of student volunteers requested
2
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Students interested in legislative policy and/or criminal justice reform are strongly encouraged to apply
To Apply
Submit an email stating interest with your resume and informal transcript attached to Helen Gaebler at hgaebler@law.utexas.edu