Alternatives to Incarceration Archives

2023 Policy Areas

An ambulance with lights on driving on a road

Harm Reduction

Police officer making a traffic stop

OmniBase Repeal

2021 Policy Areas

[2021 Session] Lower Penalties for Minor Drug Possession to Free Up Funding for Strategies that Get Texans Back on Their Feet

Penalties for Minor Drug Possession

[2021 Session] Require Probation Practices to Focus on Public Safety and More Prudently Use Taxpayer Dollars

Probation Reform

2019 Policy Areas

[2019 Session] Divert People from the Justice System Altogether and Provide Them Treatment in the Community

Pre-Arrest Diversion

[2019 Session] Overhaul Texas’ Failed State Jail System

State Jail Reform

[2019 Session] Fix the Bail System: Stop Punishing Poverty and Allow Safe Pretrial Release for Eligible Individuals

Bail Reform

[2019 Session] Reduce the Penalty for Low-Level Marijuana Possession to a Class C Misdemeanor or Civil Penalty

Marijuana Decriminalization

[2019 Session] Reduce Harsh Penalties for Driving with an Invalid License

Driving with Invalid License

[2019 Session] Address the Root Causes of Commercial Sexual Exploitation Rather Than Punishing Vulnerable Populations

Sexual Exploitation

[2019 Session] Eliminate False or Misleading Jury Instructions That Lead to Excessive and Disproportionate Sentences

Jury Instructions

2017 Policy Areas

[2017 Session] Safely Improve Pretrial Release Rates in Texas

Pretrial Reform

[2017 Session] Modify the Penalty for Certain Drug Possession Offenses & Reinvest Savings in Treatment

Drug Penalty Recalibration

[2017 Session] Improve Texas’ Probation System to Encourage Successful Completion

Probation Reform

[2017 Session] Repeal Texas’ Driver Responsibility Program to Minimize Debtor’s Prisons

Driver Responsibility Program

[2017 Session] End Arrests for Non-Jailable Offenses

"Non-Jailable" Offenses

[2017 Session] Allow Pretrial Victim-Offender Mediation, Which Holds Individuals Accountable and Facilitates Meaningful Resolution

Victim-Offender Mediation

2015 Policy Areas

[2015 Session] Fund Key Items in the Legislative Appropriations Request for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)

Probation and Treatment Budget Items

[2015 Session] Modify the Texas Government Code to Permit Probation Departments and Pretrial Services Entities to Supervise Pretrial Diversion Programs and Collect Fees for Participation

Pretrial Diversion Programs

[2015 Session] Incentivize Individuals with Certain Nonviolent State Jail Felony Offenses to Complete Probation

Probation in Lieu of State Jail

[2015 Session] Reclassify Certain Nonviolent Misdemeanor and Felony Offenses

Penalty Reclassification

[2015 Session] Support Pretrial Services Divisions

Pretrial Services

[2015 Session] Reduce Penalties for Small Drug Possession Offenses

“Trace” Drug Decriminalization

[2015 Session] Eliminate Penalties for the Smallest Drug Possession Offenses

“Trace” Drug Legalization

[2015 Session] Implement Policies that Would Facilitate Individual Consideration of a Potential Employee’s Application by Delaying Background Checks for People with Criminal Histories

Workforce Applicants

[2015 Session] Reduce Low-Level Marijuana Possession to a Class C Misdemeanor or Civil Penalty

Marijuana Decriminalization

[2015 Session] Allow Judges to Create Tailored Treatment Programs, as Necessary, to Address Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues

Tailored Treatment vs. Incarceration

[2015 Session] Reduce the Number of Individuals with Mental Health Issues in Texas Corrections Facilities

Mental Health Treatment

[2015 Session] Take a Major Step Towards Preventing Drug Overdoses Through a “Good Samaritan” Policy

Good Samaritan Policies

[2015 Session] Repeal Texas’ Driver Responsibility Program and Identify Alternative Funding Sources for Trauma Hospitals

Driver Responsibility Program

[2015 Session] Modify Penalties for the Offense of Driving With an Invalid License

Driving With Invalid License

[2015 Session] Update Monetary Thresholds for Property Offenses in Light of Inflation

Updated Property Penalties

[2015 Session] Limit Penalties for Prostitution Offenses and Reduce Barriers to Rehabilitation

Prostitution Penalties

[2015 Session] Provide Property Owners Relief from Graffiti Through Cost-Effective Programming with Cleanup Services, and Reduce Graffiti Penalties to Lower Local Expenses

Graffiti Cleanup & Penalties

[2015 Session] Continue to Fund Investments in a Strong Probation System by Helping Probation Departments Implement Localized “Commitment Reduction Plans” to Safely Reduce the Number of Individuals Who Fail Probation Terms and Are Sent to Prison

Probation Commitment Reduction Plans

[2015 Session] Create an Advisory Committee to Examine the State Jail System and Make Recommendations for Its Improvement

State Jail Study

[2015 Session] Allow Cross-Jurisdictional Supervision by Veterans Court Judges, Expand Potential Participation in Veterans Courts to Veterans Without Combat Experience, and Allow for Record Expungement Upon Successful Completion of Programming

Veterans Courts