BY ANA YÁÑEZ-CORREA
To see why so many important changes took place in the 80th Texas Legislature, it’s important to understand that Texas’ criminal justice system is in a state of crisis. Our prisons and jails are filled to capacity creating an overcrowding problem; the probation and parole systems are under-resourced; thousands of people’s lives – in and outside of prison – have been destroyed by drug addiction; our prisons have become a dumping ground for those who suffer from mental illness; and those who are coming out of prison lack the tools for re-entry necessary to become productive and law-abiding citizens.
Realizing that the expensive "lock-em-up" approach for both juveniles and adults has not increased public safety or addressed the root causes of crime head on, bipartisan policy-makers – specifically including Chariman of the House Corrections Committee Jerry Madden and Chariman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee John Whitmire, along with the members of the House Corrections and Senate Criminal Justice committees – have reexamined what works and have led the way for a “smart on crime” policy shift.