1-1 By: Leedom S.C.R. No. 5
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 15, 1993; January 19, 1993,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
1-4 April 6, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4,
1-5 Nays 1; April 6, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Whitmire x
1-9 Brown x
1-10 Nelson x
1-11 Sibley x
1-12 Sims x
1-13 Turner x
1-14 West x
1-15 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-16 WHEREAS, Presently there are approximately 53,000 inmates in
1-17 the Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Institutional Division
1-18 and another 20,000 in county jails awaiting transfer to the state
1-19 system; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Additional building costs and payments to counties
1-21 in lieu of accepting their prisoners will cost the state over $800
1-22 million during the next biennium; and
1-23 WHEREAS, Even this ambitious building program will be
1-24 inadequate to keep pace with the projected growth of the prison
1-25 inmate population which is expected to rise to over 92,000 by 1996;
1-26 and
1-27 WHEREAS, Prison overpopulation is not only expensive, but
1-28 also increases the early release of unrehabilitated criminals
1-29 resulting in convicted felons serving only 13 percent of their
1-30 sentences down from 33 percent in 1985; and
1-31 WHEREAS, This high turnover of prisoners provides little
1-32 deterrent to crime resulting in a 43 percent rate of recidivism
1-33 within three years of release; and
1-34 WHEREAS, New solutions should be explored to mitigate
1-35 problems related to crime, corrections, and recidivism which plague
1-36 our society; now, therefore, be it
1-37 RESOLVED by the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas, That
1-38 the Criminal Justice Policy Council investigate the desirability of
1-39 contracting with one or more foreign governments for the placement
1-40 of prisoners from the institutional division of the Texas
1-41 Department of Criminal Justice for confinement within the
1-42 jurisdiction of that government; and, be it further
1-43 RESOLVED, That the policy council report, not later than
1-44 December 31, 1994, for consideration by the 74th Legislature its
1-45 findings, including the identification of any legal impediments and
1-46 required remedial actions; cost-benefits; humaneness; deterrent or
1-47 rehabilitative potential; the ability of the government to
1-48 guarantee that the correctional facilities and operational
1-49 standards will meet requirements of state and federal mandates;
1-50 access to and supervision by Texas Department of Criminal Justice
1-51 personnel; or any other relevant criminal justice or corrections
1-52 value of this concept.
1-53 * * * * *
1-54 Austin,
1-55 Texas
1-56 April 6, 1993
1-57 Hon. Bob Bullock
1-58 President of the Senate
1-59 Sir:
1-60 We, your Committee on Criminal Justice to which was referred S.C.R.
1-61 No. 5, have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed
1-62 to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do
1-63 pass and be printed.
1-64 Whitmire,
1-65 Chairman
1-66 * * * * *
1-67 WITNESSES
1-68 FOR AGAINST ON
2-1 ___________________________________________________________________
2-2 Name: Ira Calkins x
2-3 Representing: Self
2-4 City: Austin
2-5 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-6 Name: Tony Fabelo x
2-7 Representing: Crim Just Comm
2-8 City: Austin
2-9 -------------------------------------------------------------------