Prison and Jail Innovation Lab

08/28/2026

We are proud to announce the release of the latest edition of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA)'s Prison Oversight and Human Rights Review—a biannual publication curated and edited by the PJIL team. This issue focuses on the important issue of death in custody. Read the Review here:
https://tinyurl.com/ICPAReview13

06/03/2026

🚨The Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at The LBJ School of Public Affairs has released a new report!

"The Nightmare of Sleep in Prison" exposes the impact of chronic sleep disruption in U.S. prisons and jails—and why it matters for the health, safety, and long-term well-being of incarcerated people.

The report explores a question that rarely receives attention in corrections policy: How do routine operations in prisons and jails impact the ability of incarcerated people to obtain restorative sleep, and how might those practices be improved?

One of the report’s central findings is that sleep disruption is not an inevitable feature of incarceration—it is often the result of operational choices that can be changed without compromising safety and security.

Corrections officials naturally focus on safety, security, and operational efficiency, but do not always recognize the extent to which chronic sleep loss affects all three.

If we want safer, healthier, and more stable facilities, sleep conditions must become part of the conversation.

Curious what we found? Read the full report and recommendations here:
https://utexas.box.com/v/SleepinCustody

Or visit our website at www.pjil.org

Report authors:
Alycia Welch, PJIL's Associate Director
Michele Deitch, PJIL's Director

Questions? Feel free to contact us (our contact information is on our website).

04/30/2026

It's Day 2 of ! Thank you to those of you who have already donated. For everyone else, there's still time! Gifts can be made now via the link below.

The best part? Your gift may be matched! UT has competitions scheduled all day--that means if we win, your gift could double!

But hurry! ends today--10pm CT.

https://www.givecampus.com/s/tlwlm6

04/29/2026

PJIL Community! There's still time to make an impact, but the clock is ticking! We have a limited window to raise critical support for one of PJIL's core priorities: cultivating the next generation of justice policy leaders.

Did you know?? Graduate students from The LBJ School of Public Affairs and The University of Texas School of Law work directly with our leadership team on projects that shape policy and practice—from helping us publish high-impact reports and analyzing deaths in custody, to engaging with national leaders and contributing to research on urgent issues like aging behind bars and conditions of confinement.

They've also helped develop innovative initiatives, including a short documentary highlighting the impact of prison oversight and how it's changing lives.

Through this hands-on experience, students gain the skills and mentorship needed to drive meaningful reform in the years ahead.

Your support makes this work possible! Thank you for helping us invest in the future of justice policy.

Make your gift here: https://www.givecampus.com/s/tlwlm6

Thank you for your support!

04/29/2026

UT’s 40 for Forty is underway! is UT’s annual university-wide fundraising event.

Your support helps the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab ensure safer and more humane treatment of people in prisons and jails, transform the oversight landscape, and provide opportunities for graduate students at The LBJ School of Public Affairs and The University of Texas School of Law to have an impact on justice policy and practice.

We’re competing for most dollars raised and most unique donors, so every gift really does count!

The best part? Your gift may be matched! UT has match competitions all day—if your gift is made at 10am, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, or 8pm, and we win, your gift might double!

Make your gift here: https://www.givecampus.com/s/tlwlm6

Thank you for your support!

Join me and make your 40 for Forty gift today!

09/24/2024

Please join the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) for a film screening and panel discussion about “Solitary Confinement in Prison” on Monday, October 7, from 5:15 – 6:45 pm at the Law School (TNH 2.137).

We are screening the 2023 short film “The Box: 27 Years in Solitary,” which explores the use of solitary confinement in prison. It focuses on the case of Dennis Hope, a man who spent 27 years in solitary confinement in a Texas prison and who took a lawsuit about his situation to the US Supreme Court.

After the screening will be a panel discussion with Jeremy Young, Senior Producer for Fault Lines, Al Jazeera’s current affairs news program, and the producer of the film; Molly Petchenik, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project which represented Dennis Hope in his Supreme Court challenge; Chanel Jones from the Lioness Justice Impacted Women's Alliance who has lived experience in solitary in a Texas women's prison, and Robert Lilly from Grassroots Leadership, also with lived experience in solitary. The panel will be moderated by UT LBJ/Law professor and PJIL Director Michele Deitch.

The event is organized by the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and is co-sponsored by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law at the Law School.

Please register for the event and help spread the word about it. Open to the Austin community.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-box-27-years-in-solitary-film-screening-and-panel-tickets-1021614024047?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/06/2024

I’m honored and privileged to have presented twice at in Singapore. One focused on women in custody that was scheduled during the same thematic workshop session as Barbara Owen—a giant in the field. The other as a panelist with Michele Deitch and Ivan Zinger, Canada’s Correctional Investigator, focused on prison oversight and re-entry. So wonderful to spend the week with colleagues and friends from around the world! Special thanks to the women at Singapore’s A4 facility that we met during our visit this morning. So proud of all of our work at the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab!

04/10/2024

is still going strong with Happy Horns Happy Hour! The first $10,000 in gifts from now until 8pm CT TONIGHT will be matched. Thank you those of you who have already donated to the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab! To those who haven't, please join us by clicking below. Every gift counts!

We only have 40 hours

04/09/2024

The Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) is getting ready for The University of Texas at Austin's annual day-of-giving--40 Hours for the 40 Acres--which launches tomorrow!

Please join us over the next two days to support PJIL. With your help, we can work to ensure safer and more humane treatment of people in prisons and jails, continue to transform the national landscape of prison oversight, and provide incredible opportunities for our The LBJ School of Public Affairs and The University of Texas School of Law students to work on projects that have an impact on policy and practice. If PJIL has been helpful to you in your work, please show your appreciation by making a donation now. Every contribution helps!

The campaign officially kicks off tomorrow, April 10th, at 6 am, but you can donate early! The campaign closes on Thursday, April 11 at 10 pm. Michele Deitch, Alycia Welch, and all of us at are deeply grateful for your support.

To donate, please visit this link and click on the "Donate" button:

Jump-start 40 for Forty

11/30/2023

Making prisons and jails transparent and accountable. A one-stop shop to learn what correctional oversight looks like and how to[...]