Nearly half of Dallas inmates return to jail within 3 years. Can officials change that?
Jail is often called a revolving door, but now there's more hard evidence: Nearly half of Dallas County inmates are arrested again within three years of getting out, a new study says.
Payday lender used in driver payment program
The revelation last week that payday lender ACE Cash Express is collecting for the Texas’ Driver Responsibility Program amounts to a double whammy for Texans who are struggling to keep their driver’s licenses, their vehicles and their jobs, critics say.
Coalition fighting to make crime laws smarter
A coalition of agencies from the right and left have gathered to push for smarter approaches to handling crime and punishment.
PODCAST: End of the road for Driving Responsibility Program
Houston's Morning News with Matt Patrick, welcomes attorney Elizabeth Henneke of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, to discuss the end of the road or the Driver Responsibility Program.
Efforts to End Texas Driver Responsibility Program
Momentum is building in Austin to do away with Texas' Driver Responsibility Program. It penalizes drivers who commit certain violations and has ultimately forced 1.2 million people to lose their license because of the added fees.
Officials: Reduced drug sentences hold promise
Texas lawmakers, already applauded nationally for expanding treatment and rehabilitation programs, may consider reducing some low-level drug sentences in exchange for more offenders getting the help they need to succeed once they leave prison or jail.
Texas lawmakers discuss breaks for some drug crimes
Taking the first step on a topic that could generate heat in the 2017 legislative session, Texas lawmakers began discussing Tuesday whether some nonviolent drug crimes should carry shorter sentences or be converted from felonies to misdemeanors.
State Lawmakers Consider Softening Drug Penalties
With one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, Texas state lawmakers are studying alternative penalties for non-violent drug offenders.
Alternatives to jail time for non-violent drug offenders
Getting caught with drugs in Texas can land you a spot behind bars, but there is a push at the state capitol to change the law.
Lawmakers compare Driver Surcharge Program to Debtors’ Prison
State senators expressed bipartisan disapproval Wednesday of an unpopular program that levies large surcharges on drivers for traffic offenses, with several calling for broad changes or for scrapping it entirely.