By Counts, et al.                                    H.C.R. No. 132

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, There were over a million reports of crimes

 1-2     committed against Texans in 1995, each one a reality that impacted

 1-3     the lives of numerous people; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Restoring order, security, and protection to Texas

 1-5     neighborhoods is government's most fundamental responsibility, and

 1-6     a flourishing, prosperous society is impossible if our communities

 1-7     are imprisoned by violence and fear; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Although the crime rate is improving and violent

 1-9     offenders are serving longer sentences, law-abiding Texans deserve

1-10     better than seeing criminals shuttle back and forth between society

1-11     and jail with a recidivism rate of almost 50 percent within the

1-12     first three years of release; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Because nearly one-half of released inmates are soon

1-14     jailed again, often on more serious and violent crimes, it is

1-15     incumbent upon the State of Texas, which maintains one of the

1-16     world's largest prison systems, to continue its efforts to seek out

1-17     and enlist the aid of all methods effective at breaking the

1-18     expensive and tragic cycle of criminal behavior, and in seeing that

1-19     criminals get changed, not just released; and

1-20           WHEREAS, Most inmates will eventually be released back into

1-21     society, and such offenders need strong role models, moral

1-22     guidance, and the accountability of personal relationships to

1-23     escape the destructive habits and moral crises that fuel criminal

1-24     behavior; offenders need an environment conducive to the growth of

 2-1     confidence, accountability, self-reliance, and hopefulness, and a

 2-2     community that cares about transforming lives from the inside out

 2-3     so that ex-offenders remain ex-offenders; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, A growing body of empirical evidence gathered by

 2-5     health and criminology experts demonstrates the power of religious

 2-6     commitment, crime's age-old enemy, to combat antisocial values,

 2-7     remold the basic beliefs and attitudes of offenders, and help them

 2-8     re-enter society as contributing, self-sufficient citizens, which

 2-9     benefits all Texans; and

2-10           WHEREAS, Religion's power to inhibit destructive behavior is

2-11     especially effective among juveniles--a fast-growing segment of our

2-12     population--many of whom are fatherless, have no fear of dying and

2-13     no concept of living, and seem mired in a culture marked by moral

2-14     poverty and devoid of loving, responsible, and morally upright role

2-15     models; faith-based approaches are especially effective at

2-16     insulating criminally wayward but socially redeemable youth from

2-17     the scourges of crime and drugs; and

2-18           WHEREAS, The hundreds of millions of dollars Texas spends on

2-19     rehabilitative programs aimed at halting the revolving door of

2-20     recidivism by improving job skills, boosting education, or

2-21     defeating drug dependency are often unable to transform the inner

2-22     person and reach offenders at a deep, redeeming level; and

2-23           WHEREAS, Faith-based rehabilitation and treatment programs

2-24     offer a distinctly moral alternative to crime and prison life; such

2-25     redemptive, healing and restitution-based programs steer offenders

2-26     toward crime-free lives by providing a caring support community,

2-27     stressing reconciliation, emphasizing accountability and community

 3-1     responsibilities, and extolling strong moral and family

 3-2     commitments, classroom instruction, counseling and peer support,

 3-3     and on-site vocational training; now, therefore, be it

 3-4           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 3-5     hereby urge the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth

 3-6     Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and all Texas

 3-7     county commissioners and sheriffs to recognize the potency of these

 3-8     efforts and permit faith-based correctional programs, facilities,

 3-9     and initiatives to play a more significant role in the

3-10     rehabilitation of criminal offenders by (i) encouraging more use of

3-11     faith-based programming in public prisons and jails and treating

3-12     such programs on the same basis as nonreligious programs, (ii)

3-13     facilitating the operation of private, faith-based correctional

3-14     facilities for willing inmates who are nearing release, and (iii)

3-15     utilizing one-on-one, faith-based programs that intervene in the

3-16     lives of willing, nonviolent offenders to encourage positive

3-17     behaviors by offering a structured and re-adjustive program of

3-18     education and spiritual nurture as a positive alternative to

3-19     incarceration or as a part of agreed-upon, post-incarceration

3-20     after-care; and, be it further

3-21           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

3-22     copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Texas Board of

3-23     Criminal Justice, the chairman of the Texas Youth Commission, the

3-24     chairman of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the county

3-25     judge in each Texas county.