Recommendations on TDCJ to the Sunset Advisory Commission

February 24, 2012

Marc Levin, J.D.

Marc A. Levin is the Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice and Senior Advisor to Right on Crime.

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

Family

Temporary Assistance for Two-Parent Families in Texas: Reorienting TANF Toward Integral Human Development and Flourishing

Temporary Assistance for Two-Parent Families in Texas: Reorienting TANF Toward Integral Human Development and Flourishing Key points: TANF was designed to promote two-parent family stability, but current implementation in Texas diverts funds away from this core purpose. Strong empirical evidence shows that children in two-parent households experience better educational, economic, and behavioral outcomes. Texas TANF...

October 21, 2026

Local Government

Will Voters Decide to Leave Austin?

Last year, the Texas Legislature passed a limited disannexation measure, House Bill 3053, that allows people unfairly captured by large cities during a particular time period to hold an election on the question of staying or leaving municipal control. The law was passed after concerns were raised that some cities had accelerated their involuntary annexation...

February 12, 2024

Marc Levin, J.D.

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Safer Communities Through Second Chances: The Case for Federal Expungement

Temporary Assistance for Two-Parent Families in Texas: Reorienting TANF Toward Integral Human Development and Flourishing

Will Voters Decide to Leave Austin?