According to the Pretrial justice Institute while only 5 percent of people arrested go to prison almost 50 percent of those arrested are incarcerated pending the outcome of their cases.
For those people, those arrested but either innocent or guilty of a crime not warranting prison time--their lives have already been impacted negatively, either financially by missing work or socially by being separated from family.
All the while the cost of housing them in jails across the country is exorbitant and their court proceedings add to a backlogged system.
What can be done?
An increasing tide of states including Texas are turning to pre-trial diversion programs. 42 states already have some pre-trial diversion programs, but are they doing enough and what is Texas doing?
Guest:
- Marc Levin, Policy Director for the "Right on Crime" program and Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation
