DECLINING PRISON CENSUS BODES WELL FOR OUR STATE

Here is a declining indicator that Texans should welcome: The Texas
Department of Criminal Justice reports fewer people behind bars in our
state than there were a year ago.

TDCJ officials peg the state prison population at 146,855, compared to
153,500 in July 2000.

Tony Fabelo, head of the Criminal Justice Policy Council, predicts that the
prison census will continue to decline for another year before stabilizing
at around 142,000 inmates.

Why the decrease? The crime rate in Texas and across the nation is
declining. Our economy has been good. Plus, the state's prison-construction
boom of the 1990s almost guaranteed felons would have a place to go once
they were prosecuted and convicted of their crimes. Some analysts have
suggested that such a prospect well could deter Texans from committing
felonies.

Another reason possibly is a change in parole policies. The state is more
likely to parole an inmate than before, meaning that criminals are spending
less time behind bars.

The latest TDCJ figures are encouraging in that they likely will forestall
another prison-building boom for the foreseeable future.

Yes, the Texas Panhandle area has benefited from the construction of these
prisons. The jobs have been welcome. But the cost to the society at large
has been great, which means that the declining prison numbers must be seen
as a positive development for the Lone Star State.