HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 1353^r ' --
I~ ~ resolution
Tire Need for Additional Prison Space
RESObU1'lON NO.~~~
WIIEAEAS, Texas has three major cities (including Port Worth) that
are continually in the top lU nationally in crime rates; and .
WHEREAS, We have the third largest prison system in America, and
we have approximately 50,000 parolees and 300,000 probationers in
our Texas streets, far more than any other State; and
WIIEItAS, A record 31,SUU felons were released from the State
penitentiaries to the streets of the cities of 'Texas during the
past year, and t-he average time spent in the penitentiary for the
major crimes against he person of murder, rape, and burglary was
1.7 years; and
'WfIEAGAS, A ;study by the Justice DepartmenL-'s NaL-ional Institute
of Justice has determined that new crimes conunitted by each
released prisoner has cost society nationally an estimated
$430,000 a year in victim losses, police and' court worJc, ,and
private security expenses; arrd
WHEREAS, The same study indicated that each repeat otfender
given early release conwritted an average of 187 crimes a year,
and that the sentencing of 1,000 additional offenders to prison
annually would have cost about $25 trillion a year, but would have
prevented 107,000 felonies that amounted to $430~million; and
W1iEREAS, the Justice Department`s study concluded that the $8.6
billion cost of operating the nation's prisons .and jails~in 1983
was just one-tenth of the overall cost of crime; and
WHEREAS, in Texas because of prison crowding and federally
mandated prison population limits, dahgerous felons are being
released prematurel}~ and that most become eligible for parole
after serving one-tenth of their sentences, while inmates serving
shorter sentences spend one-third less time behind bars than they
did five years ago; and _ ...
WIIEREAS, the Port Wortlr Police llepartment reported a 7.7 percent
increase, with 77,563 major crimes in 1907 compared with 72,015
in 1986; arrd
CITY OF FORT YliORTH
WHEREAS statistics on mayor crimes reported to Texas law
enforcement agencies indicate that one out of every 13 Texas
citizens was affected by criminal acts during 1987.
NOW, T}IEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF 'THE CITY OF
FORT WOR'1'H, 'TEXAS, that tl~e City supports the appropriation of
sufficient funds in 1989 for the constructing of 8,000 additional
beds for the '1'DC ('Texas Department of Corrections), with 2,000
more beds designed for a "boot camp" shock probation program and
4;000 new beds of intermediate facilities to house parole
violators.
BE I'1' FUlf1'HER RESOLVED that- the City go on record as urying the
State Legislature and the Governor L-o develop a long range
proyraw which will fully fund the adequate number of beds tv
insure that adeyuate space is available for the housing of any
and all convicted felons wlio, in the interest of justice and the
protecL-ion of the citizens, deserve to remain in the
penitentiary.
APPROVED BY
CITY COUNCIL
SEP B3 1988
city se~ai~r o, one
Clly o[ Fort Worth. Texm
CITY OF FORT WORTH