Acknowledgements

• Chairman Jerry Madden (R-Plano), Chair of the House Corrections Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Operation & Management of the Texas Youth Commission.  Chairman Madden, with great statesmanship and able negotiating skills, developed and passed strong probation and parole reform, improvements to the conditions of incarcerated mothers with infants, release policies for the very sick, and policies to overhaul the broken juvenile incarceration system.  By far, he is the best Chairman in the House of Representatives.
     

Representatives Jim Dunnam (D-Waco), Pat Haggerty (R-El Paso), Scott Hochberg (D-Houston), Delwin Jones (R-Lubbock), Jim McReynolds (D-Lufkin), and Rene Oliveira (D-Brownsville) must be recognized for their advocacy of “smart on crime” reforms as members of the House Committee on Corrections.

•   Chairman John Whitmire (D-Houston), Chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and member of the Sunset Advisory Commission that reviewed the Texas Department of Criminal Justice this year.  Chairman Whitmire lead a sea change in funding priorities for the Texas criminal justice system, ensuring passage of funding to increase access to drug and alcohol treatment, build halfway houses, strengthen probation and parole, and successfully re-integrate offenders back into their communities.  With the Chairman’s leadership, Texas is no longer just “tough” but also “smart” on crime. 

Senators John Carona (R-Dallas), Bob Deuell (R-Greenville), Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), and Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) must be recognized for their advocacy of “smart on crime” reforms as members of the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.

• Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston),  Chair of the Senate Committee on Government Organization.  Senator Ellis sponsored key legislation to expand treatment options for low-level drug offenders, strengthen our State’s probation system, and reduce the incarceration of innocent people.  Texas ’ recent identification of dozens of wrongfully incarcerated individuals inspired Senator Ellis’ successful legislation to strengthen our justice system and compensate individuals fairly for years or decades lost to incarceration for something they did not do.

      

            

• Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-Houston), member of the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice and the Joint Select Committee on Operation & Management of the Texas Youth Commission.  Senator Hinojosa provided critical Senate leadership as the two houses crafted dozens of different youth corrections proposals into a coherent approach to reform that will address the current crisis and lead to significant additional changes in the future as lawmakers, youth experts, and system officials examine what we are doing top to bottom. The passage of SB 103 (Hinojosa, Madden) is a major landmark in a reconsideration of our youth justice system that will lead to even better things.

            Many other lawmakers contributed critical ideas and policies to the Youth Commission reforms, including Representatives Valinda Bolton (HB 3521, HB 3309), Joaquin Castro (HB 2553), Jim Dunnam, Scott Hochberg, Jerry Madden (HB 914, HB 427, HB 2807, HB 1678), Jim McReynolds, Borris Miles (HB 3701), Larry Phillips (HB 2043), Sylvester Turner (HB 3206), and Senator Royce West (SB 1295).

 

• Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) and Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) have proven their continued and steady commitment to a fair and equitable criminal justice system with passage of racial profiling legislation, and then promotion of improvements to that law that would turn local reports into a systematic review of our statewide progress.  Ultimately supported by both advocates and law enforcement, the improved racial profiling law finally fell to the clock on an unfinished House calendar.  We thank Senator West and Representative Thompson for their energy, commitment, and diligence in pursuit of justice.

 

• Representative Juan Escobar(D-Kingsville)has put to good use his many years of experience as a law enforcement professional by authoring and sponsoring legislation that aims to increase fairness and accuracy in the court system, as well as increase public safety for all Texas.  His role in the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee is to be commended. 

 

   

Many other lawmakers played key roles in the passage of reforms, including the following lawmakers of both parties: 

 

• Representatives Alma Allen (D-Houston), Kirk England (R-Grand Prairie), Jim McReynolds (D-Lufkin), Debbie Riddle (R-Houston), Sylvester Turner (D-Houston), and Corbin Van Arsdale (R-Houston) for their advocacy of “smart on crime” spending as members of the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice.
• Representative Roberto Alonzo (D-Dallas) for being a tireless advocate in support of all Texas communities.
• Representative Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) for being a committed warrior in the battle to improve Texas communities.
• Representative Harold Dutton, Jr. (D-Houston) for his leadership on sentencing reforms to address over-incarceration of the lowest level, non-violent offenders and steadfast promotion of pathways to responsible re-integration for people leaving prison and re-entering our communities.
• Representative Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) for being an outspoken advocate and the voice of conscience in the House Committee on State Affairs.
• Representative Fred Hill (R-Richardson) for unfailingly supporting all Texas students.
• Representative Rick Noriega (D-Houston) for being a steadfast champion of all Texas students

   

  Big thanks to Sunset Advisory Commission members for their outstanding efforts during the TDCJ Sunset Review process. 

  • Senator Kim Brimer, Fort Worth

  • Senator Robert Deuell, M.D., Greenville

  • Senator Craig Estes, Wichita Falls

  • Senator Eliot Shapleigh, El Paso

  • Senator John Whitmire, Houston

  • Representative Byron Cook, Corsicana

  • Representative Dan Flynn, Canton

  • Represntative Lois Kolkhorst, Brenham

  • Representative Ruth Jones McClendon, San Antonio

  • Representative Vicki Truitt, Keller

  • Ike Sugg, San Angelo

  • Howard Wolf, Austin

       

  Best Staffers

  TCJC would like to acknowledge the following staffers for their dedication and commitment to “smart on crime” reforms during the demanding legislative session: 

  • Alison Brock, former Chief of Staff for Representative Sylvester Turner

  • Brandon Dudley, Chief of Staff for Senator Rodney Ellis

  • Raenetta Nance, Committee Clerk for House Committee on Corrections

  • Larance Coleman, Policy Director for Senator John Whitmire

  • Athena Ponce, Legislative Aide for Senator Juan Hinojosa

  • Gerardo Castillo, former Chief of Staff for Representative Eddie Rodriguez

  • Marsha McLane, Karin Tucker, Taryn Dusek, and Mark Hey, Staff for Representative Jerry Madden

  • Michelle Downie, House Committee on Corrections

  • Clarisse Profilet, House Committee on Corrections 

  • Cathy Drake and Sandy Pickell, Joint Select Committee on Operation & Management of the Texas Youth Commission

        

     

  Dedicated Judges

  • Judge Robert Anchondo
  • Judge Mary Anne Bramblett
  • Judge Caprice Cosper 
  • Judge John Creuzot
  • Judge Drue Farmer 
  • Judge Larry Gist
  • Judge Brock Thomas
  • Judge Carroll Wilborn, Jr.

   

   Best Research

  • Kelly Dworaczyk, House Research Organization
  • Dr. Tony Fabelo, JFA Institute
  • Jennifer Jones and Karen Latta, staff members of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
  • Marc Levin, Director, Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation 

    

  Committed Community Supervision

  • Paul Becker, Director – Harris County CSCD

  • Steve Dishman, Residential Facility Director – Uvalde County Community Corrections Facility

  • Terry Easterling, Director – Potter/Randall Counties CSCD

  • Tommy Ellis, Fiscal Officer – Montgomery County CSCD

  • Stephen Enders, Director – West Texas CSCD

  • Patrick Finnegan, Director – Bell/Lampasas Counties CSCD

  • Bruce Gipson, Director – Bailey County CSCD

  • Steve Henderson, Director – Lubbock County CSCD

  • Sheila Hugo, Supervision Officer – Walker County CSCD

  • Leighton Iles, Director – Fort Bend County CSCD

  • Roxane Marek, Supervision Officer – Wharton County CSCD

  • John McGuire, Supervision Officer – Brazos County CSCD

  • Dr. Geraldine Nagy, Director – Travis County CSCD

  • Arnold Patrick, Assistant Director – Concho Valley CSCD

  • Tom Plumlee, Director – Tarrant County CSCD

  • Caroline Rickaway, Director – Brazoria County CSCD

  • Pam Russell, Director – 2nd 25th Judicial District (Intermediate Sanctions Facility)

  • Linda Smith, Director – 2nd 25th Judicial District CSCD

  • Jim Stott, Deputy Director – Jefferson County CSCD

  • Javed Syed, Director – Nueces County CSCD

  • Rodney Thompson, Director – Angelina County CSCD

  • Sally Vasquez, lobbyist, Texas Probation Association

  • John Wilmoth, Director – Concho Valley CSCD

  • Michael Wolfe, Director – Taylor County CSCD

    

  Best Media Coverage

  • Jake Bernstein, Texas Observer
  • Nate Blakeslee, Texas Observer 
  • Doug Swanson, The Dallas Morning News
  • Peggy Fikac, Houston Chronicle
  • Scott Henson, Grits for Breakfast
  • Liz Pierson Hernandez, McAllen Monitor
  • Polly Hughes, Houston Chronicle
  • John Moritz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
  • Mike Ward, Austin American-Statesman
  • Univision 62 - Austin  

   

  Honorable Mentions

  • Dan Beto, National Association of Probation Executives
  • Joan Buschor, member, Judicial Advisory Council
  • Nancy Eubank, retired Secretary to the Judicial Advisory Council
  • Bruce Harlan, Regional Training Coordinator, Capital Area Council of Governments 
  • Dr. Lawrence Jablecki, former Director of the Brazoria County CSCD, and current professor at Rice University 
  • Captain James Jones, Houston Police Department
  • Dr. Kevin Knight, Ph.D., Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University
  • Richard Lewis
  • Dr. Chilo Madrid, Vice President, Association of Substance Abuse Programs
  • Father James McDonough, O.P.
  • Dennis McKnight, Deputy Chief Jail Administrator – Bexar County Adult Detention Center
  • Rob Morrison, Public Policy Director, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
  • Dimitria Pope, Acting Chief of Staff, Texas Youth Commission
  • Officer Felix Rendon, San Antonio Police Officers Association 
  • Lewis Rosenthal, former Director of the Bastrop County Restitution Center 
  • Dr. Richard Watkins, retired warden, Huntsville
  • Chief Rick A. Watson, Dallas Police Department
  • Dr. Laura Winterfeld, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
  • Jamie Yoon, Justice Center at the Council of State Governments
  • Chief Larry Zacharias (Richardson Police Department), Texas Police Chiefs Association

P.O. Box 2082, Austin, TX 78768 | tel. 512.441.8123 | info@criminaljusticecoalition.org