Progressive approach to treatment slows growth of Texas prison population
The image of tough law enforcement in Texas has been popularized for well over a century. For the past 25 years in particular, the attitude had been to incarcerate those accused of even petty and misdemeanor crimes, leading to a statewide prison population the size of the entire federal prison system. A bi-partisan legislative effort has begun to change that situation. Treatment programs are being implemented that, according to the US Justice Department, has slowed the growth of the Texas prison population.
State Representative Jerry Madden (R) and State Senator John Whitmire (D) collaborated on a 'reinvestment movement' that uses state funds to provide drug, alcohol and mental health treatment and rehabilitation. Texas lawmakers seem to have realized the unwieldy cost of maintaining a huge prison system and the increasingly impractical approach to crime of simply building more prison space.
Texas prison admissions increased by .04% in 2008, well below the annual average of 3% that occurred during each of the previous 8 years. The Texas Department of Corrections adds that cell blocks are being vacated at such a rate that prison population has stopped growing and actually declined by 1,050 inmates. Texas is also showing a significant, 25%, drop in parole violations. This information has led to the scrapping of plans to build three new prisons.
While the number of people in Texas exceeds the national average of 504 per 100,000 in population, the figures have dropped from 669 to 639 per 100,000. In contrast, between 1985 and 2005 the prison population grew 300% and Texas spent $2.3 billion building new facilities.
Research showed that use of alternative treatment programs rather than incarceration for certain offenders allowed the state to focus on more serious criminals. It would cost the state half a billion dollars to house new prisoners, and only half that amount to divert some offenders into treatment programs.
Rep. Madden is facing competition in his re-election bid and the issue of his approach to crime could be pivotal. He states that Texans will hopefully see that
"being tough and smart on crime is a better utilization of the taxpayer dollar."
