Texas. Tough or Progressive: An Examination of Reform Bills in the Texas Legislature

• In Event: State and Federal Responses to Crime

Abstract

Texas has been lauded for its recent reforms in the area of criminal and juvenile justice policy. This is a study of bills that passed, failed to pass, and were vetoed. The unit of analysis for the study is bills filed in the most recent legislative sessions. The study traces their movement through the legislative sessions, and provides a critical analysis of the successes and limitations of these Texas reforms.

Authors

• Kevin Buckler, University of Houston-Downtown

• Beth Gilmore, University of Houston-Downtown

• Brandon Andrews, University of Houston - Downtown