The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) conducted a study and investigation related to jail overcrowding in Texas county and city detention facilities. A primary goal was to find solutions to the problem of overcrowding, and many reasonable answers have been provided through the resulting report.

The TCJS report identifies ten major contributors to jail overcrowding along with suggestions and policy solutions. One category explored was “pre-arrest and other front-end contributors” to jail overcrowding. The category begins by identifying the failure of law enforcement to utilize the cite-and-summons option for nonviolent individuals who commit certain low-level offenses, as authorized by Texas State law.

A recommendation for County Commissioners, Judges, District Attorneys, and Law Enforcement personnel is to reduce the intake of nonviolent, low-level crime individuals into county jails with cite-and-summons policies. A law was passed in 2007 allowing law enforcement officers to give tickets to county residents rather than immediately arresting and booking them for certain nonviolent offenses. The following are under the purview of the law and the discretion of law enforcement officers:

• Driving with an invalid driver’s license
• Graffiti with less than $500 in damage
• Marijuana possession up to 4 ounces
• Theft by check with less than a $500 value
• Theft of services with less than a $500 value
• Criminal mischief with less than $500 in damage
• Class-B-misdemeanor-only contraband in a corrections facility

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6 of this continuing series. In the next installment, learn more about the benefits that could be had by taking advantage of the cite-and-summons option.

Inmates detained in Texas county and municipal jails can peruse this website and find information provided for their benefit. Suggesting that an institution or individual has participated in misdeeds is never an intention.

–Guest Contributor