Case study for probation reform

If you ever wonder why Texas' probation reform is necessary, consider this blogger's plight. The writer has been on probation eight years for a "crime against self, not society," but may wind up being sent to prison for two years if the prosecutor wins a revocation motion based on technical violations. Her husband is deceased, she has custody of a minor child, she's caring for an aging grandparent, and after eight years of paying fees and playing by the rules, she faces possible prison time without having been convicted of another crime. Welcome to Wichita County justice.

The idea behind probation reform is to shorten the length of probation, to give probationers incentives to earn their way off probation with good behavior. The only reason to keep a probationer on for eight years is because they keep paying fees and haven't done anything wrong.

UPDATE: See the Statesman's Mike Ward's new piece on probation reform status, including an interesting chart showing current felony probationers' offenses. See also this supportive editorial from the Corpus Christi paper.