Houston Chronicle Editorial Board
After a decade of construction, Texas prisons are full again. There is
little money to build and staff more. When prisoners arrive after being convicted and sentenced, others must be released.
House Bill 2193 was written to focus the state's resources on the most dangerous offenders and give judges more discretion
to place nonviolent offenders in treatment and community supervision.
While partisan bickering prevails in Washington, a measure of bipartisanship
survives at the Texas Capitol. HB 2193 was written by three Republican representatives and two Democrats, including Rep. Sylvester
Turner of Houston. Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, sponsored the bill
in the Senate. Both houses of the Legislature have passed the bill, which awaits — and deserves — Gov. Rick Perry's
signature.
With Texas running out of cells and guards, common sense dictates that
prisons be reserved for criminals who are a clear danger to society. Unfortunately, the probation system in Texas is too understaffed
to be effective. About 3,000 probation officers attempt to supervise 450,000 probationers. Today, 16,000 probationers have
absconded, their whereabouts unknown.
Whitmire believes many probationers, lacking the discipline and sobriety
to keep themselves out of trouble in the first place, are set up to fail and wind up in prison for minor infractions in the
terms of their probation. HB 2193 would give judges more discretion to get those probationers the help they need to lead constructive
lives rather than burdening taxpayers with the cost of their incarceration.
Texas needs HB 2193. Limited funds and other resources must be used sensibly,
protecting Texans from dangerous criminals and giving petty offenders a better chance of straightening out their lives.
