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.
America’s Promise to Veterans Shouldn’t End Behind Bars
The 250th birthday of the United States has been a time of celebration and reflection across the nation. It’s a moment to honor our proud history, our values, our freedoms, and the men and women in uniform who, across generations, have bravely fought to preserve them. However, in 1999, just two years before America deployed...