Alarmed at a trend that is filling state jails with people caught with less than a sugar packet-size amount of an illegal substance, some Texas legislators are pushing to change the law so more drug offenders get treatment instead of incarceration.
Lawmakers who believe Texas' criminal justice system is overly harsh are using the state's $10 billion budget crisis as an opportunity to call for saving money by putting fewer people in prison. Others are skeptical about whether the changes are needed.
Of the 58,000 drug convictions won by local prosecutors over the past five years, 77 percent involved less than 1 gram, according to a Chronicle analysis of district court data. Harris County sent 35,000 of the small-time offenders to jail or prison.
Rosenthal, a Republican, asked why convicts need several chances at probation and treatment before they receive jail time.
"Regardless of a person's ethnic background, if they can be rehabilitated ... we should intervene and help that person become a productive citizen," Deshotel, D-Beaumont, said in an interview.
I think both sides get it wrong. Democrats want to spend money for treatment and Republicans want to spend money on jail time. Why not just realize that people will do things against their best interest? Why is it the government's job to stop them? Now, if someone is giving or selling it to kids that is a different matter, but most of these people are just users. It’s sad to see someone misspend their life, but people should be free to make choices for their good or bad. Those who want to throw their lives away on cheap thrills can be an excellent example and warning to others.
Instead, we try to reform them. Just like a spouse who is sick of certain behavior. I’m not against offering treatment programs as long as the drug user is required to pay the money back. But most of these people don't even want treatment, they're just looking for a way to stay out of jail. The world is an imperfect place. We can neither prevent people from making bad choices nor make them choose wisely. And we're hardly making the world a better place by demonstrating that we'll make lawful citizens pay for the irresponsibility of others
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