tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post2256294468371565761..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Pub ed going well on surcharge amnesty, but probationers need to be notifiedGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51644345319470330962011-02-12T12:20:21.420-06:002011-02-12T12:20:21.420-06:00Sorry, I just now noticed the last comment/questio...Sorry, I just now noticed the last comment/question. It's been in the 100,000 arrests range annually for the last few years, but conviction rates have been steadily declining since 2005. See <a href="http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2011/01/declining-dwi-convictions-and.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-80044467148608522152011-01-28T04:13:00.282-06:002011-01-28T04:13:00.282-06:00Grits, can you possibly provide any data regarding...Grits, can you possibly provide any data regarding the number of DWI's that the citizens of Texas have got in like the past year or any other time frame? I've looked everywhere including the FBI website that tracks crimes and have thus far been unable to get any solid figures. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64710538309344264572011-01-27T01:36:57.569-06:002011-01-27T01:36:57.569-06:00Other states are abandoning these surcharge laws a...Other states are abandoning these surcharge laws all together so why is Texas still trying to push this crap down Texans throats when none of the money is going towards the programs that it was suppose to support. Where is all the money?????????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-56880599967473735482011-01-26T15:17:43.019-06:002011-01-26T15:17:43.019-06:00As a probation officer, I was thrilled to hear tha...As a probation officer, I was thrilled to hear that this was finally approved by DPS! I was saddened, however, that the amnesty program started on January 17, 2011, but the media was not notified until January 25, 2011. Why the 8 day delay? And why not release this information BEFORE the start of the program? I have not been told by my director or judges that this is a priority, particularly since many departments are struggling to get probationers to pay on their fees during these difficult times to help us get through the budget cuts we are about to be slammed with (or gutted, as your informant stated). The officers in my department now know about this and are taking action. But a little leadership never hurt anybody (come on, CJAD!)!A Texas POnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-27550355478329700642011-01-26T14:11:31.970-06:002011-01-26T14:11:31.970-06:00A local talk show radio host devoted a part of hi...A local talk show radio host devoted a part of his show yesterday to this subject. The problem was he had no idea what the surcharge consists of. He was calling those required to pay the surcharge deadbeats, criminals and losers. Several people attempted to call in and educate him. I just dont think he ever got it. He was on KLIF radio, Dallas. It was the after 4 pm host, Chris something or other.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22572821510128970082011-01-26T12:23:12.544-06:002011-01-26T12:23:12.544-06:00Grits, we don't have the money to do a mail-ou...Grits, we don't have the money to do a mail-out to all the folks charged with DWLI in our municipal court in the last 3+ years (since it became a Class C), but we have posted information regarding the amnesty up in our courthouse, and I will personally be letting defendants who are here for these issues know about it throughout the amnesty period. As a prosecutor who offered negative public comment on DPS's initial indigence rules for failing to recognize the actual definition of indigence and for not going far enough to solve this problem, I feel strongly that the back office got us into this mess, but only the front line folks can get us out of it. Since you are often -- in my view, a little too often unfairly so -- critical of those of us cogs in the state side of the justice system, I just wanted to let you know, we're doin' all we can, and if I had the budget, I'd do more. I'd encourage all of my fellow municipal court prosecutors who are seeing these defendants to do the same.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com