SYDNEY:MORE PEOPLE ARE
CALLING FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM IN HAYS COUNTY. A
PETITION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC
DEFENDE'S OFFICE AND A
DIVERSION PROGRAM HAS MORE
THAN A THOUSAND SIGNATURES.
KXA'S TAHERA RAHMAN EXPLAINS
HOW IT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE
ACCUSED OF COMMITTING CERTAIN
OFFENSES THEIR RECORDS CLEAN.
"ERIC MARTINEZ, MANO AMIGA
POLICY DIRECTOR
"THERE IS A NEW MOMENTUM." FOR
ABOUT 10 MONTHS NOW, NONPROFIT
MANO AMIGA HAS BEEN PUSHING
HAYS COUNTY FOR A CITE
PROGRAM. OVER THE LAST WEEK,
ITS PETITION HAS GOTTEN
HUNDREDS OF NEW SIGNATURES.
ERIC MARTINEZ, MANO AMIGA
POLICY DIRECTOR
"RATHER THAN GOING TO JAIL AND
HAVING A CASE FILED A PERSON
WILL MEET WITH THE PROSECUTOR
FROM THE D'S OFFICE WHO
WOULD RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE
COURSE OF DIVERSION." THAT
DIVERSION WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE
THE CASE IS EVEN FILED.... AND
COULD INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL
COMMUNITY SERVICE OR EVEN
HELP... WES MAU, HAYS COUNTY
CRIMINAL DISTRICT
ATTORNEY"WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO
ENFORCE THESE LAWS, BUT WE
DO'T NECESSARILY NEED TO
ENFORCE THEM IN A WAY THAT
WILL CAUSE THE PERSON TO HAVE
A CRIMINAL RECORD, OR TO
OTHERWISE AFFECT THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES."DISTRICT ATTORNEY
WES MAU SAYS HE SUPPORTS A
DIVERSION PROGRAM -- BUT SAYS
I'S NOT ON THE BOOKS YET
BECAUSE HE AND COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS ARE TRYING TO
COME UP WITH A NEW REPORTING
SYSTEM. WES MAU, HAYS COUNTY
CRIMINAL DISTRICT
ATTORNEY"WITHOUT AN ARREST,
WHERE THE PERSON IS ENTERED
INTO THE SYSTEM, WE DO'T
CURRENTLY HAVE A GOOD WAY TO
ENTER THAT PERSON INTO THE
SYSTEM. W'RE GOING TO NEED
TO ESSENTIALLY CREATE A WAY
FOR THE POLICE TO ISSUE
THAT... NOTICE TO APPEAR IN
THE D'S OFFICE."MAU ASSURES
ACTIVISTS THAT CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORMS *ARE* COMING.
WES MAU, HAYS COUNTY CRIMINAL
DISTRICT
ATTORNEY"W'RE GOING TO SEE
THEM. //I DO'T THINK RUSHING
THEM IS GOING TO
BETTER."SAYS AS THE WEEKS TURN
INTO MONTHS, THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS ARE BEING WASTED
OUTSOURCING JAIL INMATES TO
OTHER COUNTIES... WHEN THOSE
FUNDS COULD INSTEAD BE USED TO
KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL, IN
THE FIRST PLACE. ERIC
MARTINEZ, MANO AMIGA POLICY
DIRECTOR
"QUITE SYSTEM HAS BEEN MOVING
TAHERA RAHMAN, KXAN NEWS."
SYDNEY:SAN MARCOS CITY COUNCIL
PASSED A CITE AND RELEASE
ORDINANCE THAT WENT INTO
EFFECT ABOUT A WEEK AGO. THE
HAYS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
SAYS IF THEY ESTABLISH A
SIMILAR PROGRAM, OFFICERS
WOULD NOT BE *REQUIRED* TO
UTILIZE DIVERSION AND INSTEAD
OFFER IT ACCORDING TO THEIR
OWN DISCRETION.
SYDNEY :TONIGHT ON KXAN, I'S
A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF "THE
