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Texas Prison Reform Essay

838 Words4 Pages

The state of Texas, in the present day, is known for having one of the largest prison systems in the world, but this was not always the case. Before and in the early 1990s, Texas dealt with high crime rates and overcrowding in its prisons. However, in the early 1990s, approval for new buildings for prisons passed and created room for criminals to able to serve their sentences. Now with enough cells to punish criminals, the crime rate dropped. The Texas legislature also created the state jail system, which introduced new punishments for some Class A misdemeanors and low-level felonies: 180 days to 2 years in prison and a maximum of $10,000 fine. These crimes were now state jail felonies and were to be served in state jails. The state jail system was an attempt to reform criminals to reduce …show more content…

This would mean not only providing a court-appointed lawyer, but also aiding in paying for probation, bail, and fines. This will decrease imprisonment and the prison population in Texas. The poor will stop going to jail just because they can pay fines for their non-jailable offenses. Another reform is police reform. Allowing police to get away with their mistakes has led to distrust by the public and fear in minority groups. Qualified immunity as it is in the United States has allowed for no consequences for police officers even if they keep repeatedly making the same “mistake.” A longer training period and better screening will allow for a more trustworthy police system. Crime prevention is another good reform. Crime prevention does not just mean arrest, jail time, and fines. It means researching the cause and taking steps to stop the cause from happening. It means reducing recidivism and imprisonment. It means giving more opportunities, care, and treatment to all Texans. Crime prevention can be achieved by making alternatives to imprisonment more available, not behind a barrier of high

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