July 7, 2025
How and Why We Provide Crime Data to the Texas Legislative Session
Right now, in the chambers of the Texas Capitol, lawmakers are debating one of the most reformative public safety issues of our time: bail reform. At the Glenda Gordy Research Center, we proudly support this legislative session by providing objective, timely, and transparent crime data to inform policy that protects communities and upholds accountability.
Where Our Data Comes From and How We Use It
We source data from trusted agencies: the Harris County District Clerk, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, and the FBI’s NIBRS system. Every month, our team standardizes, analyzes, and visualizes new data to fuel public dashboards, internal reports, and legislative briefings.
Case in Point: Bail Reform and Homicide Offenses
In February, our report for Senator Joan Huffman revealed that 162 homicide cases in Harris County involved defendants out on bond at the time of the offense (January 1, 2021 – January 25, 2025).
- Compiled a list of homicide defendants since 2021
- Cross-referenced bond status at time of offense
- Manually reviewed misclassified or refiled cases
- Tracked only the first homicide per defendant each year
This data is influencing bills like SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40, and HB 75, focused on improving bail oversight and public safety.
Why We Do This Work
We are not policy advocates — we are advocates for data-driven decision-making. Our mission is to make crime data accessible, understandable, and actionable for the public, media, and policymakers alike.
As Texas considers bills on violent crime, bail, and case backlogs, we ensure lawmakers are equipped with reliable analysis that drives smart policy grounded in evidence.
Stay Informed
To explore the data yourself, visit our Houston Crime Dashboard or read the full bond and homicide analysis. We’ll continue publishing updates throughout the legislative session to empower safer, smarter policymaking.