Texas has the sixth highest incarceration rate in the nation and the most prisoners (147,000) of any state, about half of whom are nonviolent offenders. However, since 2005 when the state began strengthening probation and other alternatives to incarceration, the state’s incarceration rate has fallen more than 20%. During this same period, Texas’ crime rate has dropped more than 30%, reaching its lowest level since 1967.
Criminal Justice
South Dakota can do more to protect survivors
Kayleigh Kozak was 12 years old when her soccer coach sexually abused her for more than two years. He served just nine months in jail and was placed on lifetime probation. Nearly two decades later, Kayleigh was forced to confront her abuser again when he sought to end his probation early — potentially eliminating the...
October 29, 2026