On Friday, October 9th, The San Antonio Express News published an article titled "Let statewide elected officials live outside Austin" which is about Proposition 3.
Proposition 3 is one of the seven ballots for the upcoming Constitutional Amendment Election. Proposition 3 is a constitutional amendment that will repeal statewide elected officials from having to live in Austin. With Proposition 3 the statewide officials can live any where in Texas.
In this article the author thinks its unfair that statewide officials are forced to live here in. With the amount of technology we have these days, it is possible people to communicate and work from any where in the world. The author of the article, wants for Proposition 3 to win, and doesn't really see why it wouldn't be a good idea.
The article also explains some speculation that other people think about this proposition. One of the main concerns is that if statewide officials are "set free" that it will lead to corruption with local prosecutors if corruption cases come about. But according to the author, residency shouldn't really change the big picture of not living in Austin. Apparently they travel back and forth from their home towns to Austin all of the time.
The author is trying to persuade for us to stand up for change and vote YES on Proposition 3.
In my personal opinion, I don't really see why living here or not should be that big of an affect to the community. But, why change something that doesn't need to be fixed? Austin is the capitol of Texas, this is where big government things happen that affect the residents of Texas and elected officials. Why wouldn't elected officials want to live where they have to come to work when things go sour, ore even when everything is fine?
The idea of Proposition 3 is like being able to work from home, without moving to a different city. Yes the power of the internet gives us unlimited options for work, but it doesn't really seem realistic, especially when you have an important government title. They don't let the president live and work outside of the White House. So Proposition 3 sounds very nice (who doesn't want to live and work form their home?), but in reality it just doesn't seem reasonable.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
Jail Culture for the Mentally Ill
On Friday, October 2, 2015 San Antonio Express News published "Jail culture, attitudes need change". The article was about suicide prevention in the county jails in Texas. The article suggested that law makers and the Senate Criminal Justice Committee needs to make more of an effort besides passing new laws. There has been 29 suicides in the county jails recorded this year, and 22 in 2014. Chairman of Senate Criminal Justice Committee, John Whitmire, believes that the attitude and culture of the jail system needs to change in order for suicides to stop within in the jail system. Along with Mr. Whitmire's beliefs, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has instructed the committee to do more investigating for jail safety standards before the Legislature convenes in 2017.
Bexar County had the highest jail suicide rate in 2009, forcing the sheriff to consult a suicide prevention expert. At the Senate Criminal Justice Committee meeting that took place in September of 2015, Bexar County was cited on their successful program that keeps mentally ill patients out of jail. This program is encouraging law makers to keep working on the on going problem with jail suicides.
According to the author of this article, with the expense of incarnation, why waste it on the mentally ill, especially when they are trying to bring down the suicide rate.
The problem with this issue and article is you can't know off the bat who is mentally ill, and who isn't. Unfortunately, some people who are locked up see no other option besides committing suicide, but that doesn't mean they are mentally ill. Some people also fake being mentally ill to get the easy way out of what ever crime they have committed. So if someone sees that being mentally ill is going to get them out of the jail or into an easier program, what's to prevent someone from faking that? I do agree that the suicide isn't the answer, but I don't see how they are going to pick and choose who is suicidal and who isn't till its too late.
Bexar County had the highest jail suicide rate in 2009, forcing the sheriff to consult a suicide prevention expert. At the Senate Criminal Justice Committee meeting that took place in September of 2015, Bexar County was cited on their successful program that keeps mentally ill patients out of jail. This program is encouraging law makers to keep working on the on going problem with jail suicides.
According to the author of this article, with the expense of incarnation, why waste it on the mentally ill, especially when they are trying to bring down the suicide rate.
The problem with this issue and article is you can't know off the bat who is mentally ill, and who isn't. Unfortunately, some people who are locked up see no other option besides committing suicide, but that doesn't mean they are mentally ill. Some people also fake being mentally ill to get the easy way out of what ever crime they have committed. So if someone sees that being mentally ill is going to get them out of the jail or into an easier program, what's to prevent someone from faking that? I do agree that the suicide isn't the answer, but I don't see how they are going to pick and choose who is suicidal and who isn't till its too late.
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