How a rubble-ridden lot in Oak Cliff became a safe place for children who do far more than play.
Author Archives: Kelli Smith
Posted inCriminal Justice
They Spent Weeks Housing the Homeless, Then Police Showed Up
Service providers launched a new initiative in South Dallas to provide apartments to people in encampments, but that didn’t stop police from making arrests.
Posted inCriminal Justice
How Dallas Police Ramped Up Homeless Enforcement
In the last eight months, officers have raided dozens of encampments and detained hundreds of people. Service providers are concerned about how it will affect their ability to help.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Dallas’ Juvenile Justice System Was Broken. Have County Leaders Fixed It?
Kids were spending months incarcerated when their cases shouldn’t have reached a judge in the first place. A new analysis points toward progress.
Posted inCriminal Justice
This Is What It Takes to Keep the Jail From Overflowing
A little-known team inside the Frank Crowley Courts Building helps bridge the gaps in Dallas’ fractured criminal justice system.
Posted inPublic Services
What’s Really at Stake in November
Good morning and congratulations. You made it through the primary elections. Your phone should stop vibrating through your pocket any day now—except for, maybe, the voters who will return to the polls in the May runoff to determine candidates like attorney general. The Dallas results came late: The county GOP’s decision to hem voters into […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Where Did the Patrol Cops Go?
In 2021, after Dallas shifted its attention to curb violent crime, patrol numbers fell and response times skyrocketed. Those trends are changing, and so are the police department’s priorities.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Health, Housing, Neighborhoods, Public Services
These Stories Will Shape Dallas in 2026
The new year is here, and we are highlighting seven topics we’ll be watching closely.
Posted inCriminal Justice
When Mom Can’t Come Home
Last year, a program that attracted national attention for reuniting incarcerated mothers with their kids faced closure. Angelica Zaragoza helped it expand instead.
Posted inCriminal Justice
The Stubborn Story of a Challenged Apartment Complex
Volara in Oak Cliff, once the most violent apartments in Dallas, last year became a tale of success. In 2025, police say it has returned to its old ways. What happened?