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It’s not just the legislators in Texas who are thinking about criminal justice reform these days – community members want to see their government do something to create change, and to make life better for the people they represent.
Reforming the criminal justice system isn’t a new idea, but some individuals want those in power to look at it in a slightly different way, like Jeffrey Burns, a concerned citizen.
“I think more focus should be placed on helping the victims of the criminals, rather than easing the logical outcomes of the behavior engaged in by the criminals,” Burns told Houston Daily. “No criminal justice reforms are needed to modify police behavior because the driver of these reforms are entirely based on a false narrative driven by a media which has become dishonest and untrustworthy.”
The Texas legislature is taking up several bills that address topics like use of force, and even a disciplinary matrix to make sure punishment is uniform from one police department to another. In total, these eight bills together have been called the state’s George Floyd Act.
One of those bills, Senate Bill 68, is the state legislature’s attempt to curb the use of force against individuals suspected of perpetrating crimes. It would require officers to intervene when they see others using excessive force. The bill’s analysis says that when officers see that sort of behavior, they may not intervene due to concern over potential negative effects to their own career. Proponents of this bill say that policies requiring intervention may ultimately "benefit law enforcement organizations by enhancing overall professionalism and relationships with those they serve in their community.”
A University of Houston poll conducted in 2021 reveals that many Texans across the political spectrum support changes to the criminal justice system, like providing a duty to intervene when police witness excessive force and adding more training on the use of force – it revealed that for both of these topics, 91% of respondents are in favor.
But, Burns has another opinion.
“Any perceived police misconduct that may exist is a result of lax enforcement of existing laws and liberal policies with respect to releasing offenders. Police officers typically respond in kind to the behavior they encounter,” he said. “If any criminal justice system needs any reforms at all it would be in reducing the recidivism rates and changing negligent cultural attitudes, which do not help to make criminal behavior unthinkable. Change the sick culture producing the violent criminals for the better and the results of interactions between the police and the criminals will also change for the better.”