October 14, 2010 (Press-News.org) In 1993, Texas made history (and drew the attention of the entire country) by establishing a state jail system designed to offer specialized treatment to certain inmates in order to lower their risk of recidivism and encourage them to become productive members of society. The program was specifically aimed at inmates convicted of a:
- Nonviolent drug-related offense
- Relatively minor theft crime
- First-offense
- Fourth-degree felony
For several years, the state jail system seemed to be working, lowering an original recidivism rate for these petty criminals from an all-time high of 60 percent to a more manageable 34 percent. Keep in mind, however, that even the 34 percent rate is much higher than inmates coming out of the state prison system, which averages a rate of 28 percent.
The mission of the state jails - to rehabilitate and treat the so-called "confinees", giving them coping and technical skills necessary to rejoin society at a lower cost to the taxpayers - has shifted in recent years as budget woes have plagued the state. Various educational and rehabilitative-type programs have been cut to save money, essentially leaving little difference between prisons and jails, both being aimed at punishment and confinement.
Still, some state lawmakers and government officials (like police officers and prosecutors) appreciate the contributions that state jails have made to the Texas criminal justice system as a whole. They credit the smaller, minimum-security facilities with having saved the state millions of dollars by housing thousands of nonviolent offenders that would have otherwise been placed amidst hardened, violent inmates.
For now, the Texas state jail system is intact. If you or a loved one has been charged with (or are being investigated for) a criminal offense that could land you in one of the many jails across our state, consulting a skilled criminal defense attorney is an invaluable step towards protecting your legal rights and fighting to keep your freedom.
Article provided by Law Offices of Anthony B. Cantrell
Visit us at www.anthonycantrell.com
Is it Time for a Change in Texas' State Jail System?
The mission of state jails - to provide coping and technical skills necessary to rejoin society at a lower cost to the taxpayers - has shifted in recent years as budget woes have plagued the state.
2010-10-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Special and General Damages May Be Appropriate for Injured Victims
2010-10-14
A recent lawsuit filed by a Texas resident injured in an August 2008 collision with a Missouri truck driver seeks several types of compensation for the resulting harm. Tyriska Olivera filed a civil suit against driver Mark A. Koenig and his employer, Freddie's Trucking, for injuries she sustained in the violent crash that allegedly occurred when Koenig failed to yield the right of way and struck her car.
Ms. Olivera alleges that Mr. Koenig failed to brake in a timely manner, failed to maintain control of the truck and was speeding at the time of the accident. Freddie's ...
Baby Boomers and Bankruptcy: Understanding the Benefits
2010-10-14
A study published in the September 2010 issue of the American Bankruptcy Institute's ABI Journal shows that a disproportionate percentage of recent bankruptcy petitioners have come from the Baby Boom generation. The study, "Aging and Bankruptcy Revisited," was based on data from as far back as 1994, and found that 42 percent of individual bankruptcy filers in 2007 were between the ages of 45 and 64. The growth in bankruptcy applicants over 55 is outpacing the aging of the American population, with an increase of 61 percent over a five-year period starting in 2002.
There ...
Florida Foreclosure "Rocket Docket" Leaves Homeowners Behind
2010-10-14
Rodney Walters and Terri Reese have lived in their Jacksonville area home since 2006. The couple and their four children were recently ordered out of the home by a judge in Florida's new so-called "rocket docket" foreclosure courts.
The New York Times reports that the couple faces a predicament common in Florida: they owe approximately twice as much on their house as it's worth.
Walters and Reese fell behind on their mortgage two years ago after property taxes jumped.
Something else that they have in common with other Florida homeowners facing foreclosure: they ...
How and Why to Document a Workplace Injury for Ohio Work Comp Claims
2010-10-14
When you are injured on the job, you may realize immediately that you will be unable to work. Or, you might only feel a slight twinge. Whether your workplace injury happened after a catastrophic workplace accident or a muscle pull that limited your range of motion so that you cannot complete daily work tasks, you need to report your injury as soon as possible to be eligible for workers compensation benefits through the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC).
Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation Provides Tips to Report a Workplace Injury
The BWC suggests several ...
Nine Nurses Arrested in New York Nursing Home Abuse Case
2010-10-14
Nine nurses at a Troy, New York, nursing home face 175 counts of failing to properly care for an incapacitated patient and falsifying records to conceal their alleged nursing home abuse .
The North Country Gazette reports that the nine worked at the Northwoods Rehabilitation and Extended Care Facility in Troy. Each faces charges of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, willful violation of health laws, and falsification of business records.
The nine new indictments bring the total in the nursing home abuse scandal to 14. Five previous ...
Deepwater Horizon Owners Turn to Old Law Used in 'Titanic' Case
2010-10-14
We've all heard about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the efforts by BP to cap the well, contain the oil, and clean the Gulf. In the wake of the tremendous economic loss to the region, many have forgotten about the original fatal maritime accident on April 20 and the eleven lives lost that day. But to the survivors of the explosion and the families of those who died, the initial accident remains the paramount concern.
With a catastrophe of this size, lawsuits are inevitable. What may surprise many is that Transocean, the owner of the sunken Deepwater Horizon ...
Caregiver Sentenced to Prison in Bed Sore Death Case
2010-10-14
In a terrible case of nursing home abuse, Jean Rudolph died from untreated bed sores that had burrowed all the way to her bone. Rudolph, who previously taught others about care giving as a nursing educator, suffered for 22 days without sufficient care.
Effie Tutor, a caregiver at the Houghton Lakeview adult home in Washington, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for Rudolph's preventable death. Tutor's inaction included repeatedly ignoring residents while chatting on the Internet to her overseas boyfriend. Her attorney argued she was not properly trained and was afraid ...
NTSB Safety Recommendations Frequently Disregarded
2010-10-14
Whether traveling by plane, train, car or boat, Americans rely on the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to help ensure their safety. The NTSB is an independent federal agency with the mission to promote transportation safety. A major part of its work includes conducting safety studies and investigations to determine the probable cause of transportation accidents. The NTSB then issues its recommendations to agencies and industries that are encouraged to adopt them.
As it turns out, the NTSB's suggestions are often ignored.
Examples of Unheeded Warnings
Over ...
Passenger Van Safety Concerns Raised Again
2010-10-14
Passenger Van Safety Concerns Raised Again
The early October crash in Georgia of an overloaded 15-passenger van is raising awareness of the dangers of the vehicles.
Four people in a church group died in the crash; another 15 suffered injuries when a tire blew out on the 1987 van, causing it to overturn. CBC News reported that the vehicle flipped several times, ejecting occupants.
An Appeal to Pull the Vehicles off Roads
The single-vehicle crash came just three days after two Canadian mothers who lost sons in van accidents appealed to transportation ministers ...
New Lawrenceville Clinic Near Gwinnett Medical Center Offers Free Community Care to Local Residents
2010-10-14
Rodriguez MD, a new Lawrenceville clinic and bilingual Lawrenceville family practice near Gwinnett Medical Center recently offered free community care to local area residents. On September 10 - 11, 2010 the medical practice offered free walk-in health checks for all ages and sports physicals for kids under 18. Patients who attended the event were able to learn about their health and how to obtain proper care if a problem is identified.
"Health screenings can detect problems that would otherwise go unnoticed," explains Neville Street, the practice's Administrative Director. ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks
Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems
Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions
Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing
New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture
The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet
Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy
Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab
Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy
Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues
New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children
Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer
It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections
From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine
Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023
No evidence that medications trigger microscopic colitis in older adults
NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders
Aging-related inflammation is not universal across human populations, new study finds
University of Oregon to create national children’s mental health center with $11 million federal grant
Rare achievement: UTA undergrad publishes research
Fact or fiction? The ADHD info dilemma
Genetic ancestry linked to risk of severe dengue
Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the youngest mammal species
Early birds get the burn: Monash study finds early bedtimes associated with more physical activity
Groundbreaking analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton’s capacity for change
Southern Ocean saltier, hotter and losing ice fast as decades-long trend unexpectedly reverses
Human fishing reshaped Caribbean reef food webs, 7000-year old exposed fossilized reefs reveal
Killer whales, kind gestures: Orcas offer food to humans in the wild
Hurricane ecology research reveals critical vulnerabilities of coastal ecosystems
[Press-News.org] Is it Time for a Change in Texas' State Jail System?The mission of state jails - to provide coping and technical skills necessary to rejoin society at a lower cost to the taxpayers - has shifted in recent years as budget woes have plagued the state.