More than 400,000 Texans are on probation, including approximately 218,000 felony probationers. Revoked probationers account for 37% of prison intakes and 41% of state jail intakes. The 22,980 probationers revoked in 2015, including 12,330 revoked for technical violations such as missed appointments, are projected to serve an average of 2.5 years at a cost of $54.89 a day, resulting in an annual cost of $460 million.
Criminal Justice
Safer Communities Through Second Chances: The Case for Federal Expungement
When criminal records follow people forever, families struggle, employers lose workers, and communities lose productive citizens. Federal law offers almost no path to redemption, even though second chances strengthen public safety and the economy. Key Points The federal expungement system is effectively nonexistent. Permanent criminal records for non-violent federal offenses undermine work opportunities, family stability,...
September 15, 2026