“The conference committee budget continues Texas’ recent progress in emphasizing cost-effective sanctions and treatment in the community for nonviolent offenders, which has led to an 8 percent decline in the state’s incarceration rate since 2004, and most importantly, an 11 percent drop in the serious crime rate over this period. This budget constitutes a well-deserved vote of confidence for the package of alternatives to new prisons enacted in 2007, which a new TDCJ report conclusively shows is reducing re-offending.

“The conferees’ decision to close the Sugar Land Central Unit is the first prison closure in state history and will save taxpayers more than $50 million.

“By enacting key pending legislation in the next two weeks, Texas lawmakers can do even more to ensure Texas continues to reduce both crime and costs.”

Budget Breakdown: 2010-11 vs. House and Senate Proposals

 

BUDGET

ITEM

2010-11

BUDGET

HOUSE PROPOSAL

SENATE PROPOSAL

CONFERENCE REPORT

Basic Supervision

$220,424,371

$220,324,955

$220,324,955

$220,324,955

Diversion Programs

$240,062,841

$213,469,430

$253,452,421

$233,460,936

Community Corrections Programs

$75,940,176

$72,498,406

$77,540,176

$72,498,406

Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration (TAIP)

$23,209,824

$12,258,692

$23,209,824

$22,258,692

Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facilities,  In-Prison Therapeutic Communities & Treatment Services

$215,531,245

$231,799,090

$222,768,594

$222,768,594

Special Needs Projects (TCOOMI)

$40,877,198

(28,500 on specialized caseloads)

$31,859,890

(21,500 on specialized caseloads)

$40,877,198 (28,500 on specialized caseloads)

$37,859,890

Parole System (parole population projected to increase)

$309,901,011

$321,819,594

$311,619,594*

$311,619,594*

Board of Pardons and Paroles

$50,852,310

$50,796,022

$50,796,022

$50,796,022

Sugar Land Central Unit Operations Costs

$25,232,576 (operations)

$11,697,200 (benefits)**

$0

$25,232,576 (operations)

$11,697,200 (benefits)**

$0

 

* Estimate based on allocation of biennialization of 3.5 percent pay raise, adjusting for number of prison guards v. number of parole officers.

** $11.7 million was a technical adjustment by the LBB for the benefits charged to TDCJ.

Note: Correctional health care costs are reduced from $929 million in this biennium to $867 million under the conference budget.

 

Marc A. Levin is Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin. He is a leader of the Foundation’sRight on Crime initiative.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.

Right On Crime website: www.RightOnCrime.com Foundation website: www.TexasPolicy.com

Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/TexasPublicPolicyFoundation Twitter feed: www.Twitter.com/TPPF

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