Criminal Justice

The safety and security of Texas families is a top priority of
Governor Perry’s. Governor Perry has made life safer for all Texans by
supporting law enforcement efforts against sex offenders and drunk
drivers while protecting the innocent through stronger domestic
violence laws and DNA testing.

Strengthening Domestic Violence Laws

Governor Perry supported legislation lengthening the time protective
orders can be in effect in family violence cases, authorizing third
degree felony charges for repeat domestic violence offenders, and
allowing domestic violence offenders to be detained up to 48 hours
after bond is posted to allow battered victims time to find safe
shelter.

Tough on Illegal Methamphetamine

Governor Perry signed legislation to deter methamphetamine
production by creating a voluntary program to limit the sale or theft
of over-the-counter products containing pseudo ephedrine used to make
meth.

Protecting Texans from Sex Offenders

As Lt. Governor, Perry supported legislation to increase supervision
and monitoring of high risk sex offenders, provide for direct neighbor
notification when a repeat sex offender moves into a neighborhood, and
strengthen sex offender registration requirements.

Governor Perry signed legislation requiring any materials or
computers used to possess child pornography be forfeited or destroyed
upon conviction. The Governor also made it easier to stop sexual
predators from using the internet by signing legislation allowing
prosecutors to file charges against individuals who engage in Internet
communication to meet a minor for sexual activity.

Protecting against Drunk Drivers

As Lt. Governor, Perry backed lowering the legal blood alcohol limit
to keep drunk drivers off Texas roads. As Governor, Perry signed
legislation banning open containers of alcohol in vehicles, requiring
interlock devices for drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or
more, and allowing prosecutors to seize and forfeit an offender’s
vehicle after a third DWI conviction.

Life without Parole Option

Governor Perry signed legislation eliminating parole for persons
convicted of capital murder. Previously the punishment options were
life with the possibility of parole and death by lethal injection. For
convicted capital murderers Texas law now offers juries the punishment
options of life without the possibility of parole and death by lethal
injection.

Catching Uninsured Drivers

Governor Perry signed legislation creating the auto insurance
verification program. This bill requires the Department of
Transportation, the Department of Insurance, and the Department of
Information Resources to work together to create a system for real-time
verification of a driver’s automobile insurance status. This program
will enable police officers to verify whether motorists in fact do have
current insurance coverage as required by law.

Deterring Street Gangs

Lt. Governor Perry supported legislation creating a statewide gang
database and the Texas Violent Gang Law Enforcement Task Force. These
tools enable law enforcement agencies to maintain and share information
relating to street gangs across jurisdictional boundaries.

Promoting Fairness and Access to DNA Testing

Governor Perry signed legislation providing DNA testing for prosecutors as well as those claiming to be wrongly convicted.

Mentoring Children of Imprisoned Parents

In 2006, Governor Perry launched Amachi Texas, a statewide program
to match trained adult mentors with children whose parents are in the
state prison system. A public private partnership combining the
resources and expertise of the Office of the Governor, Big Brothers Big
Sisters, The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the OneStar
Foundation, and the Texas Workforce Commission, the mission of the
program is to break the intergenerational cycle of crime and
incarceration through mentoring.