- Texas' US Senator John Cornyn is promoting federal sentencing reform, buttressed by the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Right on Crime campaign.
- State Rep. David Simpson of Longview wants to use civil courts instead of criminal law to regulate synthetic marijuana. See more on the topic from the Texas Observer.
- From Texas Lawyer, "Lawyers score win in recorded jail calls lawsuit."
- From Texas Lawyer, "The Unlawful Acts Doctrine in Texas: Dead or Alive?"
- Mark Bennett explained why "it’s a felony to embarrass a public servant (including an elected official) on account of his service or status as a public servant." IANAL, but methinks it a stretch.
- Was 2014 the Year of the Woman DA in Texas? WFAA has a story on four women who are the first of their gender elected District Attorney in Dallas, Tarrant, Rockwall and Kaufman Counties, to which you could add Harris County (where both parties nominated women). Only San Antonio bucked the trend, ousting long-time incumbent Susan Reed in a high dollar race. See related Grits coverage.
- Reviewing the Marshall Project a few months in.
- From fivethiryeight.com, "The Imprisoner's Dilemma." (Good stuff.) See a related story from US News.
Powerful Gif but false narrative. The obvious implication or premise is that we have a simple choice between (a) educating someone or (b) incarcerating them. This is pabulum for the masses and often effective for the shallow thinking bumper sticker mentality. If you accept the narrative then we can simply educate away evil, recklessness, or any propensity to ignore the constraints of civilized society.
ReplyDeleteTake a closer look at the educational system you expect to accomplish this task. There are no losers hence everybody’s a winner, corporal punishment is inhumane, standards of behavior, dress, attendance, or even accomplishment are unfair therefore unacceptable.
If you want to take the long view you probably should bet on increasing the capacity for incarcerating the undisciplined, narcissistic, self-absorbed brats you’re spending your tax dollars to “educate.” Here’s an idea! Dismantle the progressive “education” system and teach self-reliance, accountability, and the novel idea that bad choices have consequences.
Yeah!stomp them evil hippies! They ruint everthing!
ReplyDelete8:23, fwiw, it sounds to me like you haven't been in a school in years. Certainly you didn't read the links on incarceration research in this post before opining.
ReplyDeleteFor poster number one, all I can say is I am glad that my vote cancels yours when it comes to public policy decisions, and by the way, lighten up.
ReplyDeleteThe problem I have is the state of Texas cut veterans educational benefits and I have witness first hand the fraud, waste, and abuse of these SAFP and IPTC Programs. After seeing this and all the lies told by parole and TDCJ employees, it makes you wonder who the real criminals are.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd rather the government would spend more money on education and less on feeding and housing low-level and non-violent offenders like the neighborhood pot dealer. That's hardly a radical idea.
ReplyDeleteSmith county would go broke if they could not incarcerate as many people as possible. Create new criminals where there isn't one and basically keep they jail full for federal and state money. They need to keep as many people as they can paying monthly probation fees, fines etc.That is why they are called the corruption capitol of America. Yes, I realize this is a statewide post but any reforms would hurt Smith county so they surely won't go for it.
ReplyDelete