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Texas has come to over-rely on incarceration, and today we have the largest prison population in the country. From 1986 to 2014, Texas' prison population grew by 500% and correctional costs more than tripled.
More than three in four Texas prison admissions is for a nonviolent offense. We are sending too many mentally ill and drug addicted people to prison when there are more effective and cost-efficient alternatives available.
By being smarter about who we send to prison and how we use tools like probation, we can invest in efforts proven to keep communities safe and better support crime victims.
The Texas Smart-on-Crime Coalition’s newest report, “Smart Sentencing: The Right Strategy for Addressing Substance Use in Texas,” highlights the coalition’s recommendations to address the critical issues that come with incarcerating individuals for their drug addiction.
What is Smart-On-Crime Coalition?
Women's Dignity
Pre-trial Diversion
On International Women’s Day, formerly incarcerated women, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, and members of the Texas Smart-On-Crime Coalition stood together to discuss the impact of the state’s criminal justice system on women and to highlight proposed reforms under consideration by the Texas Legislature.