Brian Barr

How campaign donations affect indigent defense in Harris County

By Brian Barr / March 19, 2025 / Comments Off on How campaign donations affect indigent defense in Harris County

Yesterday, in honor of National Public Defense Day, January Advisors hosted a webinar about judicial campaign donations and how they affect the appointment of indigent defense counsel. Building on pre-pandemic work of Jay Jenkins and Georgetown Law, we partnered with the Texas Center for Justice and Equity to analyze whether campaign donations are associated with…

92 Days, 5 States, 1 Epic Ride: My journey from Mexico to Canada on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

By Brian Barr / November 11, 2024 / Comments Off on 92 Days, 5 States, 1 Epic Ride: My journey from Mexico to Canada on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

When a raindrop falls in the continental United States, it’s primarily headed for one of two places – the Atlantic or the Pacific. This watershed line is known as the Continental Divide. For 100 days in the summer of 2023, it was my home as I rode my bicycle more than 2,500 miles from the…

How H-GAC’s representation bias helps the suburbs and hurts the city

By Brian Barr / April 27, 2023 / Comments Off on How H-GAC’s representation bias helps the suburbs and hurts the city

Every third Tuesday of the month, thirty-seven local policymakers pack themselves into a conference room in Greenway Plaza to determine the shape of Houston’s future. Although this particular conference room is in the geographic center of the Houston region, the policymakers represent the interest of people in the suburbs. This isn’t by accident. It’s how…

Ballots, Bao, and Brainstorming: My Summer with January Advisors

By Brian Barr / August 5, 2015 / Comments Off on Ballots, Bao, and Brainstorming: My Summer with January Advisors

Less than 6 months ago I woke up and realized that although I had lived in Houston for nearly two years, I could count on one hand the number of people I knew in Houston that weren’t affiliated with Rice. Although I felt connected to the city though bike rides and a love for exploring,…