Texas to close prison for first time in state history

news.yahoo.com...

Along with the Central Unit in Sugar Land, a century-old prison southwest of Houston, the state is also shuttering three juvenile detention centers, with the goal of focusing more on rehabilitation and crime prevention, and also to save money in the face of a crushing budget deficit. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons confirmed to the Lookout that this is the first prison to be closed and not replaced in the state's history.

The state is beginning to focus on rehab and crime prevention (hopefully it works). Some of these prisons are expensive to run, and with the state budget the way it is right now (not too good), the state is trying its best to save money. It also looks like they are trying to sell the property, which will also bring in a little revenue for the state.

It looks like we have the lowest crime rate today since 1973 to.

Texas joins a nationwide trend of shutting expensive state prisons, driven partly by red ink in state budgets, partly by a drop in convict numbers (with the lowest crime rate since 1973) and partly by a policy shift from lock-'em-up justice to rehabilitation programs.

I wonder if any other prisons will be shutting down soon? Hopefully the rehab/crime prevention works very well, (which I think it will), but the policy began back in 2005, so it's still a bit new (in my opinion).


Also - Since the state decided to changed their policy towards some rehab, I think it would be about the time to take a look at the possibility of reforming some of the laws here, or atleast have an open discussion about it.

Tho I know this could prove disastrous I really do hope this move (tho unintentional) provides a positive shift in peoples perception of rehabilitation over incarceration.

Hey folks wake up 2012 is an election year and Gov Rick Perry has designs on the presidency. You can bet your bippy that for every facility the state closes up, somewhere there's a private prison company looking to increase their business here in Texas. We have lots of commercially run prisions in various Texas counties. I'm not saying the policy change away from incarceration is politically motivated and well timed - but I'm thinking it.

ganjoa