1-1     By:  Sibley, et al.                                   S.C.R. No. 44

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 1997; March 12, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;

 1-4     May 15, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6,

 1-5     Nays 0; May 15, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-7           WHEREAS, There were over a million reports of crimes

 1-8     committed against Texans in 1995, each one a reality that impacted

 1-9     the lives of numerous people; and

1-10           WHEREAS, Restoring order, security, and protection to Texas

1-11     neighborhoods is government's most fundamental responsibility, and

1-12     a flourishing, prosperous society is impossible if our communities

1-13     are imprisoned by violence and fear; and

1-14           WHEREAS, Although the crime rate is improving and violent

1-15     offenders are serving longer sentences, law-abiding Texans deserve

1-16     better than seeing criminals shuttle back and forth between society

1-17     and jail with a recidivism rate of almost 50 percent within the

1-18     first three years of release; and

1-19           WHEREAS, Because nearly one-half of released inmates are soon

1-20     jailed again, often on more serious and violent crimes, it is

1-21     incumbent upon the State of Texas, which maintains one of the

1-22     world's largest prison systems, to continue its efforts to seek out

1-23     and enlist the aid of all methods effective at breaking the

1-24     expensive and tragic cycle of criminal behavior and in seeing that

1-25     criminals get changed, not just released; and

1-26           WHEREAS, Most inmates will eventually be released back into

1-27     society, and such offenders need strong role models, moral

1-28     guidance, and the accountability of personal relationships to

1-29     escape the destructive habits and moral crisis that fuel criminal

1-30     behavior; offenders need an environment conducive to the growth of

1-31     confidence, accountability, self-reliance and hopefulness, and a

1-32     community that cares about transforming lives from the inside out

1-33     so that ex-offenders remain ex-offenders; and

1-34           WHEREAS, A growing body of empirical evidence gathered by

1-35     health and criminology experts demonstrates the power of religious

1-36     commitment, crime's age-old enemy, to combat antisocial values,

1-37     remold the basic beliefs and attitudes of offenders, and help them

1-38     re-enter society as contributing, self-sufficient citizens, which

1-39     benefits all Texans; and

1-40           WHEREAS, Religion's power to inhibit destructive behavior is

1-41     especially effective among juveniles--a fast-growing segment of our

1-42     population--many of whom are fatherless, have no fear of dying and

1-43     no concept of living, and who seem mired in a culture marked by

1-44     moral poverty and devoid of loving, responsible, and morally

1-45     upright role models; faith-based, church-centered approaches are

1-46     especially effective at insulating criminally wayward but socially

1-47     redeemable youth from the scourges of crime and drugs; and

1-48           WHEREAS, The hundreds of millions of dollars Texas spends on

1-49     rehabilitative programs aimed at halting the revolving door of

1-50     recidivism by improving job skills, boosting education, or

1-51     defeating drug dependency are often unable to transform the inner

1-52     person and reach offenders at a deep, redeeming level; and

1-53           WHEREAS, Faith-based rehabilitation and treatment programs

1-54     offer a distinctly moral alternative to crime and prison life; such

1-55     redemptive, healing and restitution-based programs steer offenders

1-56     toward crime-free lives by providing a caring support community,

1-57     stressing reconciliation, emphasizing accountability and community

1-58     responsibilities, and extolling strong moral and family

1-59     commitments, classroom instruction, counseling and peer support,

1-60     and on-site vocational training; now, therefore, be it

1-61           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-62     hereby urge the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth

1-63     Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and all Texas

1-64     county commissioners and sheriffs to recognize the potency of these

 2-1     efforts and permit faith-based correctional programs, facilities,

 2-2     and initiatives to play a more significant role in the

 2-3     rehabilitation of criminal offenders by (i) encouraging more use of

 2-4     faith-based programming in public prisons and jails and treating

 2-5     such programs on the same basis as non-religious programs, (ii)

 2-6     facilitating the operation of private, faith-based correctional

 2-7     facilities for willing inmates who are nearing release, and (iii)

 2-8     utilizing one-on-one, church-based and faith-based programs that

 2-9     intervene in the lives of willing, nonviolent offenders to

2-10     encourage positive behaviors by offering a structured and

2-11     re-adjustive program of education and spiritual nurture as a

2-12     positive alternative to incarceration or as a part of agreed-upon,

2-13     post-incarceration after-care; and, be it further

2-14           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

2-15     copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Texas Board of

2-16     Criminal Justice, the chairman of the Texas Youth Commission, the

2-17     chairman of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the county

2-18     judge in each Texas county.

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