Michele Deitch directs the LBJ School's Prison Jail Innovation Lab, a national policy resource center seeking to improve conditions of confinement and correctional oversight. With over 35 years of experience as an attorney working on criminal justice policy issues with state and local government officials, corrections leaders, and justice system practitioners, she is a recognized expert in her field. Deitch's current research focuses on independent prison oversight, issues related to deaths in custody, and the management conditions of prisons and jails, as well as juvenile justice and prison reform. Her work aims to advocate for improvements in the criminal justice system and promote effective reforms to enhance public safety and reduce recidivism.