Public Policy Center | [Strengthen Criminal Justice Practices]

Strengthen Criminal Justice Practices

Highlights from Texas ’ 81^st Legislature

Texas has put in place cost-effective measures that will increase the efficiency of – and better provide more just and humane – criminal justice practices for the tens of thousands of Texans entering and exiting criminal justice facilities every year.

HB 2289 (Madden, McReynolds, Marquez); Requires TDCJ to release a prison inmate from either the facility in which s/he served the sentence or a regional release facility nearest to the facility in which s/he served the sentence. – Signed by the Governor!
HB 3649 (Marquez, Hodge, Madden); Allows certain non-profit, religious, or civic organizations to send inmates books and educational materials. – Signed by the Governor; effective immediately!
HB 3653 (Marquez, Olivo, S. King, Madden, Ortiz Jr.); Requires TDCJ to restrict the use of restraints on women when they are pregnant, in labor or delivery, or in recovery. – Signed by the Governor!
HB 3654 (Marquez, Olivo, S. King, Ortiz Jr.); Requires county jails to establish standards of care and classifications for pregnant inmates. – Signed by the Governor!
SB 1120 (West) [amended to HB 3389 (Harper-Brown, Merritt)]; The amendment establishes an independent statewide repository for law enforcement racial profiling reports at TCLEOSE. – Signed by the Governor!

For both HB 3653 and HB 3654, we would like to commend the efforts of the Texas Jail Project and its partnership with the ACLU of Texas.

Work Ahead

We are interested in identifying strategies that will assist the Texas Commission on Jail Standards in continuing its important role in monitoring and regulating county jails, as well as in providing technical assistance and training to local officials and jail staff. This agency is crucial in maintaining safety, order, and professionalism, as well as in assisting in the education of jail administrators about standards which, in turn, prevents lawsuits.

In addition, we will continue to improve our inmate correspondence system, which will allow us to identify patterns of systemic practices that must be addressed – largely with regards to conditions of confinement. Many prisoners and families have brought to our attention their problems with the criminal justice system; we will continue to use this information to inform the development of our own research and suggestions for reform.