Texas Democrats believe protection from crime is a primary responsibility of government that is essential to the quality of life in our communities. All Texans are entitled to be safe and secure, and free from fear of violence. The guilty must be justly punished for crimes they commit, the innocent must be protected, the rights of victims must be ensured, the accused provided due process under law, and public safety officers must be strongly supported. We believe a community-based approach to crime fighting makes our streets and neighborhoods safer. Partnerships should be formed with community groups to assist officers on the streets. We must also be just as tough when addressing the causes of crime, so we can more effectively deter and reduce criminal conduct.

Texas Democrats believe government must provide the necessary tools and equipment law enforcement personnel need to do their jobs, and we must support officers with higher wages commensurate with the daily risks associated with the profession.

Texas Democrats applaud the Dallas County District Attorney for his innovative work with the Innocence Project to assure the integrity of convictions and exonerate and quickly release innocent people who have been wrongfully convicted. We urge the Legislature to create an “Innocence Commission” to review cases in which innocent persons were convicted of a crime and later exonerated, in order to identify the causes of wrongful convictions and determine and implement needed reforms to prevent recurring problems, including a requirement to corroborate eyewitness and confidential informant testimony and meaningful penalties for prosecutorial misconduct.

Texas has faced recurring crises in prison space that can be addressed by making sure dangerous criminals are locked up by adopting effective prevention, education and alternative sentencing strategies to reduce the numbers of nonviolent offenders imprisoned. Less money will be needed to build more prisons when prevention efforts can keep people from becoming career criminals. Texas has more people in prison and a higher incarceration rate than any other state. There are too many people in Texas prisons who could be supervised safely in the community at a much lower cost, while also paying taxes, paying restitution to their victims and paying child support.

Texas Democrats are leading efforts to make the Texas criminal justice system fairer, more equitable and less costly. We support reforms passed with the support of the Democratic legislators in 2007, which redirected corrections policy to include short-term residential diversion and treatment facilities for low-level substance abusing offenders and additional outpatient drug and mental health treatment resources.

Texas Democrats also led efforts to pass legislation to remove the requirement that a person obtain a letter of innocence from the District Attorney to receive a pardon for innocence; and increase the level of compensation for each year of wrongful incarceration.

 

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