governor perry
Texas Republicans Cancel $239 Million in Proposed Cuts in Prison and Parole System
Governor Rick Perry ordered state agencies to cut $1.2 billion in spending to assist in controlling a shortfall of up to $18 billion in this year's budget. The main issue of concern to readers of this blog is that there were $239 million in proposed budget cuts in the Texas Prison and Parole System., including cuts in prison health care, security, and other important issues. Earlier in the year several lawmakers offered suggestions concerning how to reduce the budget for the penal system, including closing some facilities, such as theRead More
U.S. Supreme Court Bans Life Without Parole for Juveniles
For once, Texas was ahead of the trends in the criminal justice system since last session Governor Perry signed SB 839, a bill authored by Senator Juan Hinojosa, which allowed juveniles to be considered for parole after 40 years. Not a huge difference from life in prison, but at least something. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 split vote, held that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment did not allow a sentence of life without parole for juveniles. Although in this case the juvenile was sentencedRead More