Should prisoners serve their entire sentence? I think there's definitely some that should (for example, there's a guy from my town that got thirteen years after pleading guilty to second offense domestic violence and two counts of drug possession and he had eleven prior felonies on his record and was facing 25 to 99 years), but it shouldn't be a blanket policy for all inmates. What are your thoughts?

No thoughts on this but tax evasion, fraud and gun application fraud should from this point forward get you a ride on Air Force One.

First time visitors for non violent crimes should have a means to reduce sentence by good behavior, reform, etc... violent offenders or any multi visit folks should serve their term. To my thinking, this issue should be addressed by assigning and sentencing appropriate terms - not thru a parole board.

If they would like early release, they can choose death.

Else, they serve full sentence and all violent offenders get lifetime parole. Always monitored and checked on.

One of the reasons we have early release is to encourage people to behave in prison and to try to achieve some level of personal betterment while they are there. If there's no potential to get out early then there's no reason a lot of them would do anything but cause problems and act out. It's human nature.

Surprisingly, Texas is really lenient on parole eligibility, depending on the crime. There's a guy from my town that got 37 years for felon in possession of a firearm (he had previously been to prison four times) and he's eligible for parole after four years.

Do we still have guys locked up in Huntsville for small amounts of pot?

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One of the reasons we have early release is to encourage people to behave in prison and to try to achieve some level of personal betterment while they are there.

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This is the reason for early release. Behave yourself while you are locked up and maybe also earn your GED or learn some job skills that you can use when you are released.

From what I understand is that most people that get early release are put on parole for the amount of time equal to the completion of their sentence. So they are under supervision even after release. Any mistake they make can put them back in prison for completion of their sentence.

I hope to god if I am ever wrongly accused and sentenced to jail time I am able to earn my way back out.

Having the opportunity to gain early release has several benefits: they have an incentive to behave while incarcerated, and it allows the state to monitor them as they assimilate back into society.

Serving the whole sentence, they are released without any form of supervision.

Aust Ag said:

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Do we still have guys locked up in Huntsville for small amounts of pot?

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No, since personal weed possession is now a hand slap in blue-run cities.

Anti-taxxer said:

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Having the opportunity to gain early release has several benefits: they have an incentive to behave while incarcerated, and it allows the state to monitor them as they assimilate back into society.

Serving the whole sentence, they are released without any form of supervision.

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Violent offenders should have to register like sex offenders and be monitored for life.

Aust Ag said:

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Do we still have guys locked up in Huntsville for small amounts of pot?

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When have we ever had guys locked up in maximum security for a small amount of pot?

2040huck said:

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Aust Ag said:

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Do we still have guys locked up in Huntsville for small amounts of pot?

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When have we ever had guys locked up in maximum security for a small amount of pot?

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Weed

fka ftc said:

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Anti-taxxer said:

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Having the opportunity to gain early release has several benefits: they have an incentive to behave while incarcerated, and it allows the state to monitor them as they assimilate back into society.

Serving the whole sentence, they are released without any form of supervision.

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Violent offenders should have to register like sex offenders and be monitored for life.

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Excellent suggestion.

No. People make mistakes

Would that apply to animal abuse as well, or just violence against other people?

2040huck said:

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Aust Ag said:

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Do we still have guys locked up in Huntsville for small amounts of pot?

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When have we ever had guys locked up in maximum security for a small amount of pot?

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Early 70's. I remember hearing stories when I was a kid of dudes locked up for a while for possession of a personal stash. I thought this bill was signed in the early 80's , not the 70's. Nevertheless, it was real.

In June 1973, House Bill 447 was signed into law to significantly reduce penalties for cannabis offenses. Prior to its passage Texas had the harshest cannabis laws of any state in the nation, with possession of any amount classified as a felony offense punishable by two years to life in prison.

There should be severity for some crimes. That is already in the law. You have to serve half your sentence before you are even eligible for parole when convicted of aggravated crimes of violence and child molestation. Most don't get release on first opportunity of parole consideration.

Prisons must have the carrot stick of good behavior being considered in parole in order to keep order in the prisons. That is up to the parole board.

Texas is about right on everything. The average release date may be a little early but not bad.

We can't afford to build and operate a bunch more prisons than we already are.

Texas is already a tough state on punishments and parole decisions.

Lake08 said:

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No. People make mistakes

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Of course they do. And mistakes have consequences. Jesus can forgive, but sometimes the earthly penance is permanent.

Logically there is a scale of punishment and what should be a fair and just review. But today we have sentences adjusted because of activism, claims of systemic racism and muh feelz. That **** needs to end.

lethalninja said:

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Surprisingly, Texas is really lenient on parole eligibility, depending on the crime. There's a guy from my town that got 37 years for felon in possession of a firearm (he had previously been to prison four times) and he's eligible for parole after four years.

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This isn't charity on the part of the State or parole board … truth is our prisons are full or damn near full and sadly that means early releasing some that maybe shouldn't to make room for a new prisoner.