Read Nate Blakeslee's interview with Right on Crime founder Marc Levin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation on the topic of "Why fewer prisons are good for Texas's economy."
RELATED: From the Washington Post, "Conservatives try to make criminal justice reform a signature issue," reporting on this year's Conservative Political Action Committee at which Gov. Rick Perry participated with Grover Norquist in a panel on criminal justice reform. H/T: Sentencing Law and Policy.
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5 comments:
Because it will curb Dillion Matt Bingham, Jack Skeen jr. and Joel Bakers malicious enthusiasm of corruption. Their "Judge Roy Bean" travesty of Justice in Smith county Texas of innocent people will end.
Ooooh, MarC Levin, not Mark Levin. I thought the world was coming to an end.
TDCJ is busting at the seams with plenty of people who are not a menace to society. Closing prisons won't fix the problem, only make conditions worse in open facilities. In some cases prisons are "hot bunking". The new inmate arrives at his bed before the bed is clear. The problem is the out of control front end.
"Should" we lock an individual up should enter into the thinking not "can" we lock someone up. Probation demands (leading to TDCJ) are out of control as well. Perhaps a budget of TDCJ man years should be handed out to district courts or counties based on population, so the system at the front end is forced to make intelligent decisions about who and at what point to lock 'em up.
The mothers are really MADD, however incarceration is not fixing the problem. 80-90% of folk in TDCJ are there for drinking, drugs or the acquisition of illegal substances. Bad behavior (crimes against people) as a result thereof, is criminal, no doubt.
We must ask ourselves what would be the benefit to society if we decriminalize drugs, treat it as a health issue, devillanize the issue so folks seek (and can get meaningful) help. AND take the profit out of the illegal trade of illicit substances.
"80-90% of folk in TDCJ are there for drinking, drugs or the acquisition of illegal substances"
Actually, fwiw, just over half are there for violent crimes. OTOH, some violent offenses have among the lowest recidivism rates, so your point that "TDCJ is busting at the seams with plenty of people who are not a menace to society" arguably is still valid.
Actually TDCJ is only at 153,000 inmates with plenty of room for more inmates. TDCJ can open up additional capacity at the old Marlin VA Hospital if needed.
Local hospital districts from where inmates are sentence should be held accountable for providing funding for inmate health care. This may be the best way to address over incarceration on the front end. Tough on crime DA's may start getting smart on crime if locals start paying these guys health care as they grow old.
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