Public Policy Research Institute

This week, our Texas Youth Action Network program hosted their second Community Partner Conference of 2026. We're thrilled to welcome, alongside our TYAN program staff, Cohort 12 to the TYAN community! 👏👏👏

Expert spotlight 💡 "Behind every dataset is a story waiting to move people, and real impact begins when we choose to tell it well." 🧠

Deborah Lee Towns (Lee) brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, and advocacy across government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. Inspired by PPRI's commitment to rigorous, nonpartisan research, Lee is passionate about transforming complex data into clear, compelling stories that inform decisions and drive action. With experience spanning three years on Capitol Hill, national advocacy campaigns, and corporate communications, Lee believes research creates its greatest value when it's not only understood but put into practice.

📌 Fun Fact: Lee has shaken hands with four U.S. presidents, beginning with President George H.W. Bush while attending Texas A&M University nearly 20 years ago.

📢 New Publication from PPRI Researchers

Researchers from Texas A&M Arts & Sciences' Public Policy Research Institute and the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School have published a new article in Evaluation Review sharing evidence-based guidance for implementing Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) programs.

The study draws on five years of research and real-world implementation experience to help jurisdictions improve pretrial decision-making and court processes.

Read more: https://ppri.tamu.edu/2026/07/23/implementinglegalrepresentation/

Fun Fact Friday: PPRI was proud to be recognized by the State Bar of Texas in 2025 with the Michael K. Moore Award for Research and Writing in the Area of Indigent Defense. ⚖️

The award honors PPRI’s report, Justice Beyond the Cities: The State of Rural Public Defense in Texas, which highlights the challenges facing rural public defense systems and opportunities to strengthen access to justice across the state.

Learn more: https://ppri.tamu.edu/2025/07/02/statebaraward2025/

Dr. Georges Naufal brings expertise in research design, applied econometrics, and criminal justice policy evaluation to PPRI. His work helps Texas courts, legislators, and agencies make data-informed decisions on programs such as Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) and indigent defense reforms.

As Dr. Naufal explains, “Program evaluation is not about proving a program is good or bad. It is about learning what works, for whom, and under what conditions.”

We're proud to highlight his contributions to research that improves fairness, efficiency, and outcomes across Texas communities.

Learn more about our team: https://ppri.tamu.edu/experts/

Did you know that boredom is a developmental signal?

Our Texas Youth Action Network initiative sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services just released July's blog on turning summer downtime into youth leadership opportunities! 🌱 Check it out!

Turn Summer Downtime into Youth Leadership Opportunities Turn Summer Downtime into Youth Leadership Opportunities Rather than seeing boredom as a problem to solve, we can see it as an invitation... For young people, the dog days of summer offer time for growth, exploration, and self-discovery. July is National Anti-Boredom Month, and a reminder that

🎉 Fun Fact Friday! Did you know Harris County's misdemeanor bail reforms reduced system costs by about 30% while maintaining public safety?

Research presented at the University of Houston Law Center by Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute Director and Lead PI Dr. Dottie Carmichael and Duke Law's Brandon Garrett found that risk-based pretrial release policies reduced detention-driven guilty pleas and improved efficiency without increasing rearrest rates.

It's a powerful example of how data-driven reforms can support both fairness and safer communities.

UH Law Center Event Highlights Data Showing Harris County Bail Reforms Cut Costs, Reduced Coercive Pleas and Maintained Public Safety Feb. 25, 2026 — Findings presented at the “Bail Reform and Backlash: Litigation, Legislation, and Experimentation” conference at the University of Houston Law Center show that misdemeanor bail reforms in Harris County have reduced system costs by roughly 30%, sharply decreased the use of secur...

🌟 Expert Spotlight: Dr. Emily Naiser 🌟

This week, we're highlighting Dr. Emily Naiser, a Texas A&M researcher whose work is making a real-world impact. As a Principal Investigator, she has secured more than $11.5 million in research funding and contributes to projects in public health, education, criminal justice, and workforce development.

Her research on the care needs of children living with disabilities was even cited in Texas Senate Bill 1105; a testament to the power of research to inform policy and improve lives.

Learn more about PPRI's team of experts: https://ppri.tamu.edu/experts/

Fun Fact Friday! 🤔 Did you know?

With sponsorship from Arnold Ventures, PPRI researchers completed a four-year study examining Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) in two Texas jurisdictions. The research explored whether having an attorney present at a defendant’s very first court appearance impacts outcomes such as bond decisions and recidivism rates.

📊 The results were significant. Read more about this study: https://ppri.tamu.edu/portfolio-items/cafa/

🔦 Expert Spotlight: Dr. Nandita Chaudhuri

With more than 25 years of experience in program evaluation and applied policy research, Dr. Chaudhuri helps turn data and community voices into evidence that strengthens programs and advances meaningful policy change.