By Counts                                      H.C.R. No. 132

      75R7622 T                           

                             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 crisis 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

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

2-13     dying and no concept of living, and who seem mired in a culture

2-14     marked by moral poverty and devoid of loving, responsible, and

2-15     morally upright role models; faith-based, church-centered

2-16     approaches are especially effective at insulating criminally

2-17     wayward but socially redeemable youth from the scourges of crime

2-18     and drugs; and

2-19           WHEREAS, The hundreds of millions of dollars Texas spends on

2-20     rehabilitative programs aimed at halting the revolving door of

2-21     recidivism by improving job skills, boosting education, or

2-22     defeating drug dependency are often unable to transform the inner

2-23     person and reach offenders at a deep, redeeming level; and

2-24           WHEREAS, Faith-based rehabilitation and treatment programs

2-25     offer a distinctly moral alternative to crime and prison life; such

2-26     redemptive, healing and restitution-based programs steer offenders

2-27     toward crime-free lives by providing a caring support community,

 3-1     stressing reconciliation, emphasizing accountability and community

 3-2     responsibilities, and extolling strong moral and family

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

 3-4     and on-site vocational training; now, therefore, be it

 3-5           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 3-6     hereby urge the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth

 3-7     Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and all Texas

 3-8     county commissioners and sheriffs to recognize the potency of these

 3-9     efforts and permit faith-based correctional programs, facilities,

3-10     and initiatives to play a more significant role in the

3-11     rehabilitation of criminal offenders by (i) encouraging more use of

3-12     faith-based programming in public prisons and jails and treating

3-13     such programs on the same basis as non-religious programs, (ii)

3-14     facilitating the operation of private, faith-based correctional

3-15     facilities for willing inmates who are nearing release, and (iii)

3-16     utilizing one-on-one, church- and faith-based programs that

3-17     intervene in the lives of willing, nonviolent offenders to

3-18     encourage positive behaviors by offering a structured and

3-19     re-adjustive program of education and spiritual nurture as a

3-20     positive alternative to incarceration or as a part of agreed-upon,

3-21     post-incarceration after-care; and, be it further

3-22           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

3-23     copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Texas Board of

3-24     Criminal Justice, the chairman of the Texas Youth Commission, the

3-25     chairman of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the county

3-26     judge in each Texas county.