Post-conviction relief is a procedure that allows the defendant in a criminal case to bring more evidence or raise additional issues in a case after a judgment has been made (post-trial). With valid grounds, post-conviction relief can help a convicted individual obtain a fair resolution in their case.

As an independent and autonomous part of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) conducts objective reviews of final convictions to determine whether some manifest injustice has occurred that may be corrected by the procedures provided by post-conviction law.

Post-conviction relief comes in two forms: equitable relief and legal relief.

Equitable relief may be granted if:

• the conviction is not contested, but
• the client presents a compelling and/or sympathetic situation. (Why does this person deserve relief? What is keeping this person from taking their next steps? How has this person changed since the offense (treatment, counseling, etc)? Letters from the community in support of relief are key here.

Legal relief may be granted if:

• there has been a conviction, and
• there is a credible legal claim (e.g., My attorney didn’t communicate with me. New evidence or evidence that went untested at the time of my trial shows that I'm innocent, etc.).

When a case is accepted, the CIU prepares an internal proposal/memorandum and presents it to the District Attorney for approval.

Even if a case does not end in an exoneration or an expunction, it can still be beneficial to the applicant.

Also note:

• The CIU cannot review every case where there is a bare claim of innocence.
• There is no magic formula; each case is different.
• The CIU cannot give legal advice to a defendant or a defendant's family members.
• It would be best to have your claim presented by a lawyer who is experienced in post-conviction criminal work.
• The Innocence Project of Texas and similar organizations can be extremely helpful in presenting new claims.
• The more proof that a conviction was wrongful, the more likely we are to review the case. Documents that support that claim are also helpful.
• When CIU accepts a case for review, it will be open-minded and objective.

Click here to learn more and submit a case for review.

Personalized Career & Training Assistance for Justice-Involved Clients.

Goodwill Reentry Services understands the unique challenges individuals face when reentering into society after being incarcerated, from reconnecting with family to finding employment.

Our staff provides one-on-one career coaching with a focus on:

• Identifying your career interests
• Developing your resume
• Practicing interview skills
• Completing online job applications
• Connecting to employers or training programs

Additionally, individuals have the opportunity to enroll in training programs, which include construction trades, warehousing, and logistics.

Requirements:

• At least18 yrs old
• Have a Valid ID
• Eligible to work in the United States
• Released from prison within the last 2 years
• Currently on Parole, Probation, or Supervised Release
• Can work full-time

If you are interested in finding out more, send an email to Reentry Services at [email protected].

Jail diversion community mental health program that provides immediate assessment for mental health treatment for misdemeanor pre-trial cases to include: psychiatric medication management and comprehensive community support services.

Judicial referrals only.

Assists individuals in felony and misdemeanor drug courts to improve their quality of life and further reduce recidivism by incorporating community-based case management services, psychiatric medication management, counseling, and skills training.

Judicial referrals only.

A federal mandate specifies that incarcerated individuals have access to religious services. Staff chaplains, as well as volunteers from many faith communities and the professional community provide worship services in 9 local detention and treatment facilities, as well as pastoral care as needed.

The FRC service family members of the incarcerated and individuals formerly incarcerated with:

• Assistance with basic needs (food, clothing, transportation, ID cards, etc.
• Employment assistance through job readiness, and job referrals.
• Regular support group meetings.
• Substance recovery classes.
• Chaplaincy services.
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Mental health counseling.
• Public utilities assistance (when funding is available).
• Parenting classes.
• Anger management classes.
• Art therapy for victims of domestic violence.

• Identification
• Proof of incarceration

Chrysalis Ministries offers free mental health counseling and chaplaincy services for all clients. These services are available in order to help those attempting recovery, on-going recovery, along with former inmates attempting to merge back into society.

Counseling sessions vary client to client.

Call 210-299-4540 to schedule an appointment.

Free.

Ready to Work is unprecedented. No other city in the nation is supporting its residents like we are. With over $110 million in tuition assistance, hundreds of employers, training providers and colleges, community organizations and workforce agencies, we are in it together, for you.

Ready to Work makes continuing your education and finding a quality job easier for you. Your personal Ready to Work coach will help you with every step of the process, from understanding your specific situation, coaching you through career and education planning, enrolling and paying for your classes, increasing your confidence and soft skills, updating your resume, preparing you for interviews, connecting you to new job opportunities, and helping you thrive in your job.

Your journey begins with step one – Register online, call 3-1-1, or visit a Ready To Work Partner Agency.

Our full list of programs can be found here.

Our full list of employers can be found here.

Our Partner Agency, Chrysalis Ministries, provides hands-on case management services to help for inmates and their families as they overcome the consequences of incarceration. Eligibility Requirements can be found here.

Services include:

• Intake
• Assessment
• Case Management
• Referrals for Training

Reentry classes, character development, substance recovery, and anger management classes are provided in most facilities served.

Click here for list of facilities served.

The Center provides psychiatric and wraparound services for psychosocial rehabilitation, community referrals for medical and substance abuse treatment, peer support and social assistance. Referrals for dual diagnosed clients are received through the Felony and Misdemeanor Drug Courts. This program serves adults ages 18-65.

By rehabilitating non-violent offenders with substance abuse and mental health issues, drug courts reduce costs of confinement while we help people rebuild stable, productive lives. Participants are subjected to rigorous drug testing, probation visits, and 90 to 180 days of residential treatment. To graduate from the program, participants must attain a high school diploma or GED and secure full-time work.

CHCS Clinicians work within the Bexar County’s Justice Intake & Assessment Annex 24/7 to assess arrested individuals with mental health and/or substance use needs.

Eligible individuals are given the opportunity to participate in outpatient treatment via a Personal Recognizance (PR) bond release.

Individuals who have had any criminal justice involvement in the past and are looking to plan their personal comeback can find assistance at the Bexar County Reentry Center.

Our Reentry team can help you increase your level of employability, obtain higher educational levels, and acquire specialized job training. A variety of other services and resources are also available to you as well. Call us for an appointment!

Free

We offer court mandated Theft Prevention classes.

The Karnes Pro Bono Project was launched in 2014 by a group of attorneys committed to serving the legal needs of women and children in the newly opened Karnes family detention center (“Karnes”). The project has since come under the direction of RAICES, providing free legal services to people in ICE custody at Karnes. The families are typically forced to pass a credible or reasonable fear interview before they can be released to pursue asylum. The failure to meet these requirements for asylum can lead to deportation, which can mean a return to persecution and death.

RAICES provides support to detained families by preparing them for their screening interviews, representing them in hearings before an immigration judge if they fail their interview, and submitting requests for reconsideration to the Asylum Office if the immigration judge affirms the negative interview decision. When the need arises, RAICES has helped persons detained at Karnes with parole requests, bond motions, asylum applications, representation in final asylum hearings in immigration court, and in appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Our work also includes public advocacy campaigns and regular involvement with litigation and policy advocacy.

For more information, contact us.

The RAICES Bond Program is a Texas-based bond fund that seeks to mitigate the harmful effects of and otherwise dismantle ICE detention.

The RAICES Bond Program started in 2014 to cover release of mothers and children then held in Family Detention Centers in Texas and Pennsylvania. In June, 2018, the program grew when a viral Facebook fundraiser inspired more than 500,000 individual donors who were furious at the government ripping families apart and the otherwise inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States. Since then, we have responded to daily requests from people in detention, and our Bond Program covers people within the geographic scope of the state of Texas.

We have been on the ground during workplace raids and the Zero Tolerance Family Separation of 2018. By building closer connections with participants, the Program gives people a wider array of resources and a greater degree of agency with which to navigate the complex immigration system and U.S. society, more broadly. We believe that paying an individual’s bond is a short-term intervention to free someone from detention, while our long-term goal is ending the harmful practice of ICE detention.

We are proud members of the National Bail Fund Network, a network of bail and bond funds who seek to end mass incarceration including ICE detention.

To apply for assistance through our bond fund, please fill out our form.

For questions, contact us.

Are you ready to leave the past behind and start over? For those who want to start a new life, a better life, Changin' Lives is here to offer resources, to listen, and to let you know that you are not alone. We work through your challenges to help you reach your goals.

We want to help you become a self-sufficient, successful, productive citizen of our community by connecting you with felony-friendly employers, affordable housing resources, medical and social services referrals, mentoring, and one-on-one client case management.

By appointment only. Please call during business hours to schedule an appointment.

Free

New Life Ministry is a support group that brings a message of faith, hope, justice and reconciliation to all who are affected by crime, violence and addiction, whether they are offenders, victims, family members of incarcerated individuals, or public servants.

Free.

New Life Ministry is here for the purpose of giving people who are dealing with incarceration, hope, healing and support. The setting provides a structured way for people to share their stories and gain perspective from others through their experiences. It also provides support and knowledge of what is happening to their loved one in prison when they have no clue as to what is going on due to this being the first time dealing with incarceration.

New Life Ministry is for all those that need to know that they do not have to go through it alone.

New Life Ministry is a support group that brings a message of faith, hope, justice and reconciliation to all who are affected by crime, violence and addiction, whether they are offenders, victims, family members of incarcerated individuals, or public servants.

Free.

Crosspoint provides a structured residential environment for individuals referred by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Probation Office or U.S. Pretrial Services.

Accountability is the foundation for this service model. Residents are held accountable for their behavior and progress throughout the program while staff is accountable for adhering to procedures that promote public safety. Every resident undergoes assessment and individualized program planning. After a short in-house orientation period the resident receives additional privileges which allow him/her to become further integrated into the community.

Measures of program progress include:

• obtaining employment
• development of a realistic budget
• improving family and community support systems
• remaining drug and alcohol-free
• development of a stable residential plan

The Crosspoint experience helps reduce recidivism and the attendant societal and economic costs by utilizing integrated, evidence-based services.

Crosspoint strives to forge the essential alliance between criminal justice supervision, community service providers and other community stakeholders to provide our clients with the resources and guidance necessary to lead productive lives and achieve restoration of citizenship.

Restoration of the individual, the family and the community at large is paramount and Crosspoint allows for individual restoration through community service projects, faith-based services, structured programming and supportive relationship with our staff.

Referral from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Probation Office, or U.S. Pretrial Services

We will provide affordable housing for the formerly incarcerated as well as supportive services such as assistance with application fees, down payments and deposits.

Formerly incarcerated.

We will partner with other organizations to aid in career searches and career placement services.

Formerly incarcerated.

We offer the following classes:

• DWI
• Anger management
• Theft
• Life skills
• Resume building
• Computer classes

We endeavor to partner with local school districts and community colleges to provide higher levels of education.

Formerly incarcerated.

We have a man to man mentoring program called Mentoring Big Brothers which is designed to match mentees with male mentors whom have had a brush with "the law" but have made a decision to transform their life and become productive members of society.

Our company was established with the primary goal of helping people who are suffering from addiction, mental health issues, and addictive behaviors; through our education, counseling and intervention programs.

We understand first hand, the hurdles, struggles, and difficulties the individual in recovery and their family may face. Our programs serve as resources to help move beyond blame, shame and guilt and towards a path of positive change so the individual can realize their true potential.

We offer:

• Individual Counseling
• Group Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Telehealth
• Case Management
• Peer Support Groups
• Intervention Services
• Sober Transport and/or Escort

The intervention process offers an opportunity to challenge popular beliefs and myths surrounding addictive behavior. The biggest myth is that a dependent person must hit rock bottom and lose it all before he/she will accept help. Unfortunately, all too often this is the point where addiction leads to serious consequences such as legal problems, relationship issues, job issues, health issues, and high-risk behaviors. Intervention is a method of rising above that and setting positive goals to avoid these life-altering consequences.

An intervention is emotionally complex and impacts families and friends which can place strains on the dynamics of both relationships. A professional Interventionist offers insight and knowledge to help achieve a positive outcome.

Our trained professionals here at Spirit Wolf are in recovery from all forms of addictions and addictive behavior. This allows them to interact with the addictive person from mutual understanding, furthering chances for success.

Spirit Wolf does not believe in ultimatums, threats, or an all-or-nothing approach process. We instead approach each situation from the standpoint of honesty, love, and family; encouraging the client to seek treatment. This alleviates BLAME, SHAME, AND GUILT and begins the healing process with everyone.

We offer a sliding scale and scholarships for individuals that qualify.

Our dedicated professionals are available to assist individuals traveling to and from residential treatment programs, business trips, vacations, or family/social gatherings.

We are familiar with the fear, uncertainty, and anxiety while traveling when new in sobriety. We have been through the same experience and understand from the addict's perspective. During the process, an escort will share their experience and how they progressed to where they are today. By relating on a personal level, our escorts provide comfort and encouragement throughout the transport.

New Life Ministry (NLM) is an active program that provides continued support for families. See the website for active NLM Support groups at the local parishes.

Free for all.

Ready to Work is unprecedented. No other city in the nation is supporting its residents like we are. With over $110 million in tuition assistance, hundreds of employers, training providers and colleges, community organizations and workforce agencies, we are in it together, for you.

Ready to Work makes continuing your education and finding a quality job easier for you. Your personal Ready to Work coach will help you with every step of the process, from understanding your specific situation, coaching you through career and education planning, enrolling and paying for your classes, increasing your confidence and soft skills, updating your resume, preparing you for interviews, connecting you to new job opportunities, and helping you thrive in your job.

Your journey begins with step one – Register online, call 3-1-1, or visit a Ready To Work Partner Agency.

Our full list of programs can be found here.

Our full list of employers can be found here.

Our partner agency, Workforce Solutions Alamo, is proud to be an official partner of the Ready to Work initiative, an unprecedented collaborative created to help San Antonians gain access to training, resources, and high-demand jobs, leading to meaningful careers and a better life.

Workforce Solutions Alamo is Ready to Work, and we’re working daily with our partners in the Alamo Workforce Consortium to ensure we give every San Antonian the opportunity to better their lives and the lives of their family members through supportive resources and jobs in growing career fields.

Eligibility Requirements can be found here.

Services include:

• Intakes
• Assessments, including O*NET assessments
• Case Management
• Referrals for Training
• Job placement

Click here to apply.

NOTE: When you apply, it is IMPORTANT to provide us with a phone number that will not change so that we have a way to contact and support you throughout the application and onboarding process.

To verify eligibility, certain documentation is required. If you need assistance obtaining these documents, we can help with that, too.

Kairos Outside is designed to support the families of men, women, and youth who are, or have been incarcerated in the country’s state and federal correctional facilities.

KO can help bolster the loved ones who are supporting those incarcerated persons. We believe that the families of the incarcerated are “doing time” right along with their loved ones. Kairos Outside is intended to let those families know that there is a community that cares about them and their needs.

We provide a safe place for women to share with each other, and with those who are empathetic to their situation, their struggles and concerns. The women on the outside, in many ways, have to be stronger than their relative(s) on the inside to survive in today’s world.

We hope Kairos Outside will help them find strength for their life journey and give them a chance to find and build relationships that may last a lifetime.

Must apply to attend.

Click here for more information.

No cost to guests. Donations accepted.