1. Cops in Lab Coats: Curbing Wrongful Convictions Through Independent Forensic Laboratories By Sandra Guerra Thompson
Argues the importance for independence between police departments and forensic labs. Highlights several cases in which factors such as backlogs, cheating on police proficiency exams, law enforcement department budget cuts, and bias, resulted in wrongful convictions. Suggests the separation of the forensic lab from guidance of a law enforcement organization would help eliminate conflicts of interest and pressure to skew the science in favor of the prosecution, rather than in the name of justice.
Carolina Academic Press, 2015. 293 pages.
363.2560973 T377C 2015


 

2. Race, Class, and Affirmative Action By Sigal Alon
Evaluates affirmative action policies in the U.S. and Israel, noting there is a commonality between the two countries because higher education is highly regarded by both, but their approaches to achieving diversity is very different. Contrasts the U.S. approach of basing affirmative action mainly on race with the Israeli approach of basing it on class and socioeconomic standing. Addresses the fact that race-based affirmative action has been in place for years and the subject of several challenges in the U.S. Supreme Court, including the case involving the University of Texas. Highlights the complex nature of defining affirmative action, and offers an analysis of new approaches to equalizing education opportunity, including the potential of affirmative action hybrid models.
Russell Sage Foundation, 2015. 325 pages.
306.430973 AL72R 2015


 

3. From South Texas to the Nation: the Exploitation of Mexican Labor in the Twentieth Century By John Weber
Challenges the traditional historical depiction of migrant farmworkers by revealing the inner workings of the agricultural business model and the exploitive agricultural labor system that was conceived in South Texas in the early 1900's and eventually "trafficked" to rest of the United States. Illuminates the evolution of this migration-dependent labor system that encouraged mass migration from Mexico, selective enforcement of immigration laws, low wages, and abuse of workers. Argues elements of this South Texas labor model continue to be used today, including in other industries in the form of independent contract workers.
University of North Carolina Press, 2015. 320 pages.
331.5 W388F 2015
 

4. The Governor's Hounds: the Texas State Police, 1870-1873 By Barry A. Crouch and Donaly E. Brice
Presents a comprehensive history of the Texas State Police, created under the administration of Reconstruction-era governor Edmund J. Davis as a statewide directed mobile law enforcement unit authorized to legally enter any jurisdiction to suppress criminal activity when necessary. Attempts to balance the negative reputation attributed to the State Police force by pointing out the agency’s positive contributions in combatting the violence of the Reconstruction period.
University of Texas Press, 2011. 312 pages.
363.209764 C884G 2011

5. Turning Texas Blue : What it Will Take to Break the GOP Grip On America's Reddest State By Mary Beth Rogers
Examines the history and growth of the Republican party in Texas. Considers how the utilization of methods employed by the Republican party in the mid-to-late 20th century, along with lessons from recent statewide Democratic losses and demographic shifts in Texas, could lead to the election of Democratic candidates to statewide office.
St. Martin's Press, 2016. 246 pages.
324.276406 R632T 2016
 

6. People and Places in the Texas Past By June Rayfield Welch
Presents vignettes of the interesting stories that may have fallen through the cracks of Texas history. Explores chronologically beginning with the Indian pictographs of Concho County to the long service of Speaker of the U.S. House, Sam Rayburn. Includes tales from scalping (Josiah Wilbarger) to sculpting (Elizabet Ney) to the interesting life of freedman, William Goyens, who settled in Nacogdoches in 1820.
G.L.A. Press, 1974. 233 pages.
917.6403 W444P 1974