Critical Resistance Announces Formation of New Chapter

You know what they say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” And Texas’ role in the Prison Industrial Complex is no exception. Texas has 797,254 adults under correctional supervision (prisons, jails, probation, and parole), placing Texas 44% higher than the national average. Add to that the fact that the state of Texas has executed 453 people—close to half of the total number of executions in the US since 1977—and you can understand the importance of focusing work on prison abolition in this part of the country.

Given these statistics, it is no wonder that Critical Resistance is announcing the formation of its newest chapter in Texas. CR-Houston has been organizing against the PIC since its initial meetings in January 2009. Since then, they have held three public teach-ins about the PIC and specifically the School to Prison Pipeline. CR-Houston is taking an active role in Houston and Texas wide issues including police presence in the schools, death penalty abolition, and the planned construction of a new Harris County Jail.

CR-Houston has participated in events with the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, SHAPE Community Center, Sedition Books, Children at Risk and others.

For more information, please write to houston@criticalresistance.org.