SENATE 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 2-1 behavior; offenders need an environment conducive to the growth of 2-2 confidence, accountability, self-reliance and hopefulness, and a 2-3 community that cares about transforming lives from the inside out 2-4 so that ex-offenders remain ex-offenders; and 2-5 WHEREAS, A growing body of empirical evidence gathered by 2-6 health and criminology experts demonstrates the power of religious 2-7 commitment, crime's age-old enemy, to combat antisocial values, 2-8 remold the basic beliefs and attitudes of offenders, and help them 2-9 reenter society as contributing, self-sufficient citizens, which 2-10 benefits all Texans; and 2-11 WHEREAS, Religion's power to inhibit destructive behavior is 2-12 especially effective among juveniles--a fast-growing segment of our 2-13 population--many of whom are fatherless, have no fear of dying and 2-14 no concept of living, and who seem mired in a culture marked by 2-15 moral poverty and devoid of loving, responsible, and morally 2-16 upright role models; faith-based approaches are especially 2-17 effective at insulating criminally wayward but socially redeemable 2-18 youth from the scourges of crime 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 3-1 redemptive, healing and restitution-based programs steer offenders 3-2 toward crime-free lives by providing a caring support community, 3-3 stressing reconciliation, emphasizing accountability and community 3-4 responsibilities, and extolling strong moral and family 3-5 commitments, classroom instruction, counseling and peer support, 3-6 and on-site vocational training; now, therefore, be it 3-7 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-8 hereby urge the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth 3-9 Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and all Texas 3-10 county commissioners and sheriffs to recognize the potency of these 3-11 efforts and permit faith-based correctional programs, facilities, 3-12 and initiatives to play a more significant role in the 3-13 rehabilitation of criminal offenders by (i) encouraging more use of 3-14 faith-based programming in public prisons and jails and treating 3-15 such programs on the same basis as non-religious programs, (ii) 3-16 facilitating the operation of private, faith-based correctional 3-17 facilities for willing inmates who are nearing release, and (iii) 3-18 utilizing one-on-one faith-based programs that intervene in the 3-19 lives of willing, nonviolent offenders to encourage positive 3-20 behaviors by offering a structured and readjustive program of 3-21 education and spiritual nurture as a positive alternative to 3-22 incarceration or as a part of agreed-upon, post-incarceration 3-23 aftercare; and, be it further 3-24 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 3-25 copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Texas Board of 4-1 Criminal Justice, the chairman of the Texas Youth Commission, the 4-2 chairman of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the county 4-3 judge in each Texas county. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 44 was adopted by the Senate on May 20, 1997; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 29, 1997. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 44 was adopted by the House, with amendment, on May 28, 1997. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: _______________________________ Date _______________________________ Governor