In the news: September 2006
A close watch on probationers; 9/20/2006
HOUSTON CHRONICLE: One by one they stand before the judge, their hands clasped behind their backs as they explain why they missed a drug treatment class or have fallen behind on their community service. "Why did you miss the drug and alcohol meeting?" retired Judge Reagan Clark asks one man. "I completely forgot about it," he answered. The lapse costs him a weekend in jail. Another man shuffles up to the bench. Clark notes he is ahead of schedule on his community service.
Crowded jails get top billing at budget review; 9/27/2006
HOUSTON CHRONICLE: The county may spend at least $260 million to build jails and juvenile-detention facilities as it tries to address state agencies' criticisms that its jails are overcrowded. Commissioners Court gave an initial green light Tuesday to building a $245 million adult-inmate-processing center downtown, a $22.5 million adult jail for low-level offenders in Atascocita and possibly an adjacent juvenile-detention facility at that location in far northeast Harris County. The city of Houston would contribute $32 million toward the inmate-processing center, in exchange for the county's agreement to process most suspects arrested by Houston police.
Probation bill likely to return; 9/7/2006
EAST TEXAS REVIEW: With Texas’ state prison population expected to exceed capacity by nearly 10,000 beds as soon as 2010, state lawmakers face a public policy crisis. In its legislative appropriations request for fiscal year 2008-2009, the Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) called for the biggest expansion in prison building in over two decades. Whether legislators have the political will to commit to spending at least $520 million on construction is another matter. DJC’s plan envisions three new prisons and 5,080 new beds, 500 of them for a DWI treatment center. The plan also recommends 850 beds for special drug treatment prisons, substance-abuse treatment centers for parole ready inmates, halfway houses, and community-based treatment programs for minor offenders.