Odds and ends

Here are several items that deserve Grits readers' attention even if I don't have time to write more about them:

Cool reception for 'DWI-lite'
Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire says the idea is unworkable and MADD says it's not part of their agenda.

We got your border security right here
Crime in El Paso dropped more than in any other US metropolitan area since the turn of the century, says the Urban Institute. New York City and its environs ranked second in crime reduction; the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area saw the sixth largest crime drop.

Grand jury considers Dallas constable allegations
The special prosecutor investigating corruption allegations against Dallas constables took allegations to a grand jury that could result in indictments as early as Wednesday.

'Shock probation' granted in DWI death case
A rare punishment handed out in a sad Harris County case.

Juiced, and other bad police mojo
A reserve deputy constable in El Paso, Horatio Garcia, stands accused of selling steroids after being caught up in a sting by the Sheriff's office. Officials won't say who he was selling to, but it wouldn't surprise me if some of his customers turned out to be others in law enforcement. Notes the El Paso Times, "Garcia is one of several El Paso law enforcement officers who have been arrested recently. Detention officer Derric Vidalez was arrested by sheriff's deputies on suspicion of insurance fraud on Sept. 3, police Sgt. Alberto Madrid was arrested for allegedly stealing a money box while working off-duty at a wedding reception at Bebe's Hall on Oct. 9., and police Officer Mark Munoz was arrested on suspicion that he committed a sexual assault while off-duty in October 2009."

Exposed, in hindsight
Inmates blogging via post at Prison News Exposed: The Texas Prisoner Journal, are taking a hiatus, but left some interesting recent posts on topics including race and homosexuality in prison before departing.

SCOTUS takes on California prison overcrowding
The US Supreme Court today held oral arguments to determine whether California must release tens of thousands of inmates from its overcrowded prisons. See coverage from SCOTUSBlog and listen to podcasts featuring the lead counsel from both sides. Relatedly, according to recent polling, "The only budget cuts that attracted broad support [among Californians] were for the prison system. About 70 percent of those polled said they wanted to spend less on prisons." What would Ronald Reagan do? UPDATE: Here's the transcript from SCOTUS' oral arguments.