My grandmother on my mother’s side was born on Zakynthos, a small Greek island in the Ionian Sea. I was raised Greek Orthodox and will always remember her telling me the story of the patron Saint of the island, Saint Dionysius. A man approached Saint Dionysius begging for his help because he had just committed...
If you ask anyone, regardless of their political views, who they would rather have behind bars awaiting trial: Someone who poses a threat to society but can afford to pay their way out of jail, or someone who poses little to no threat to society but can’t afford to get out jail? It’d likely...
The bills this year in the House and in the Senate would have helped ensure what happened to Dockery and her then boyfriend doesn't happen again in Texas. Although they did not end up on the governor's desk, variations of the original bills did pass through committees in the Senate and in the House. Lawmakers need to act on this momentum and to pass comprehensive grand jury reform soon.
The reality is officers still cannot stop you for no reason and hope to strike gold.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation testified in favor of the legislation, and we still support the policy behind it. However, with automatic license plate readers, officers can now round these warrants up rapidly, giving motorists the "silver or the lead" deal on the side of the road: Pay the fine or go to jail. Changes to how readers can be used are necessary to preserve the original intent of this legislation.
The federal government is overdue in taking a step forward for a system that is gravely lagging behind the states and the success they have seen with right-sizing their criminal justice system.
However, no evidence suggests Texas roads are safer. In fact, DUI-related driving crashes (a violation hit hard by DRP fines) resulting in death have increased since the program's inception.
The Senate Research Center says 1.2 million Texans have lost their licenses due to the program, leaving people with the choice of driving on a suspended license or losing the means to get to their job to support themselves and their family.
It is estimated that each American commits three felonies a day without ever knowing it.
But it's a foregone conclusion that no one at the EPA will be held criminally liable in this incident either, and civil lawsuits involving the executive branch are hard to successfully litigate due to 'sovereign immunity' (which means the government can't be sued unless it agrees to be) and added procedural hoops that come with governmental suits.
While these rates have been reduced thanks to Texas’ 2008 reforms, prison ministries continuously report recidivism rates at a fraction of state averages.
When offenders are employed, the Lone Star State's tax revenue increases while its prison expenditures decrease - a win-win for all parties involved.