Editorial Board
Texas Sen. John Whitmire of Houston and Rep. Jerry Madden of Richardson
mean to reform criminal justice in Texas, and it's not because they are soft on crime. The two have unveiled a legislative
package that is a common-sense alternative to merely continuing to pack the state's prisons with inmates. Following that old
path means spending millions of dollars on prison building without changing the ways of the violators.
The state's prison system, with more than 150,000 inmates, is already
nearly full. Writing more laws that send more people to prison, often for non-violent crimes, means that even more prisons
will be needed within a few years, at an estimated cost of $80 million each.
Yes, some criminals need to be
locked up for a long time. But too many crimes are fueled by drug addiction, alcohol dependency and mental health problems.
Simply locking up inmates with such problems doesn't change their ways or solve
their core issues.
The reforms offered by Whitmire and Madden would limit probation for
felony crimes from a maximum of 10 years to five years, giving judges the option of extending the time. A shorter probation
period, combined with giving the judges the power to set stricter conditions, is aimed at changing lifestyles that will keep
violators out of prison. Such requirements could include drug treatment programs, community service programs and self-help
programs.
Judges, under the reforms, could lift probation terms for offenders who
demonstrate they are no longer drags on society. There would be more use of community-based correction programs and fewer
sentencing mandates on judges.
Locally, we have a successful model of how creative sentencing can work:
the Divert Court run by 117th District Court Judge Sandra Watts, which helps felons free themselves of drug habits, keeping
them out of prison and giving them a chance to change their lives.
Texas went on a prison- building binge in the 1990s that cost millions.
Texas can't afford to spend its precious resources on more prisons if there are better and more efficient ways to cut crime.
