HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 92-16 RESOLUTION NO. R92-16
A RES�LUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF TEE
ci� oF �zErmswoon, �,s, c,Ar.vES�rorrl
HARRIS COUNTIES SUPPORTII�IG eO1�IlKI�T
FOR SOLUTIONS TO TSE EARLY RSLEASE OF
PAR�LEES BACR IN'I�O CO�IlKtJNITI$S.
WHEREAS, rampant crime continues to be the number one
problem in the City of Friendswood resulting in law
abiding citizens living in fear af crime; and
W'�REAS, a leading cause of crime in the City of
Friendswood is the early release of paralees who have nat
served significant partion of their sentence; and
W'HERSAS, the early release of paxalees in Texas has been
caused by a severe shortage of state prison and correetion
facilities for felons and by overly restrictive caurt orders
agreed to by the state in the Ruiz prison avercrowding
lawsuits; and
W�REAS, earlg release has becc�me so extensive that
convicted felons are routinely released on parole having
served less than one month for each year of their sentence;
and
WHF.REAS, lack of adequate supervision of parolees by the
state has made this region a parolee haven, especially since
a lack of correctians facilities for parole vialatars allows
parolees to violate the terms of their parol.e with impunity;
and
THEREFOItE, BE IT RESOLVED BY the City Council of the
City of Friendswood, Texas that:
1 . The City of Friendswood should immediately take action
to assist Officials in the effort to end the early
release of Paralees.
2. The Gavernor of Texas is requested to work with
Officials to develop reliable and abjective numerical
information on parolees, their desti.natians, and the
allocatian of parole officers per parolee.
3 . The Governor of Texas is requested ta work with
Officials reform the process bg which parolees are
released into the Friendswood area, including improved
communicatian between Pardons and Paroles and local law
enforcement agencies.
4 . State Officials are requested to work with Offieials
on the availability of substance abuse beds for juvenile
offenders and on legislative prapasals for enhancing the
effectiveness of juvenile programs.
5. State Officials are requested to estaZalish as soon as
possible an intermediate sanctions facility for parole
violators in this region.
6. The Attorne�r General should immediately request the
Federal Caurts for an expedited hearing of the State' s
attempt to reverse the earlier Ruiz court actions and
that the State must fight the Ruiz plaintiffs and
3udge Justiee by nat compramising nar settling fQr a
hollow victory that ends the Ruiz lawsuit yet leaves
in place the expensive restrictions of that litigation.
7, The Texas Department of Criminal Justice should change
the policy on "gate money" to require parolees to check
in to their halfway hause before receiving all $200
instead of the present practice of receiving all of the
money upon leaving prison. Further, the money should
be disbursed over the term of their stay at the halfway
house.
8. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice should
transgort parolees to halfway hauses using TDCJ buses
when those vehicles are scheduled to travel empty
outbound from Huntsville to retrieve new acimissions
inta the State prison system.
9 . The Texas Department of Criminal Justice should
expedite the expansion of prison facilities, especially
construction of the new Substance Abuse Treatment
Facilities, authorized by the November 2991 State bond
election.
10. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards and Texas
Department af Criminal Justiee should responsibly
implement all af the provisions of H.B. 93 of the
second called session of the 72nd Legislature and the
County/State litigation settlement agreement.
11. The City of Friendswaod supports the State' s effarts to
reform the penal code to provi.de adequate punishment
for criminal behavior while wisely utilizing state
prison resources though such an effart should not lae
used to shift the cost of felony punishment onta local
property taxpayers.
12. The Texas Comptroller should direct his ongoing Texas
Performance Review audit team on Pardons and Paroles
with a focus on impraving the effectiveness af parole
supervision in urban areas.
PASSED, n��xav� �xn Ano� s� � r�,�aR �n courrczr.a�Eas
OF FRIffi�iDSWOOD. TEXAS T�2S 16th DAY OF MAR�H, 1992.
Mayar Faul W. Schrader
City of Friendswood
/ � � ---_,_,
�/L�%C� / G��' �
Pro-tem Harold Raley i u ilmember Rit er
�
� ;�,� � ��-�' .� � �.�.s��l/-�"'�
ouncilmember Mel Measeles Counei emb Evelyn Newman
f �'
Cou cilmember Frank rankovich Council.member Ed Stuart
ATTEST:
�el: ri., Arc e , CMG
Ctity 5ecretary
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