Prison break

The Austin Statesman yesterday editorialized that Texas should break from its traditional lock-em-up approach.

Also, Ann has posted excerpts from testimony from last week's House Corrections Committee meeting by UTMB's prison health services, a union leader from the prison guards (who are represented by AFSCME), and the Texas Catholic Correctional Ministers, all of whom support diverting low-level offenders from prison to probation. She also points to this article from the Austin Business Journal last month about the lack of treatment center funding that could hamper Texas' shift of more offenders to probation if not addressed.