Dallas DA Reveals Plan for ‘ending Mass Incarceration' for Petty Crimes, Slashing Probation and Bail

Dallas County will move away from “criminalizing poverty,” District Attorney John Creuzot announced Thursday, outlining a reform plan to decriminalize low-level crimes and decrease the use of excessive probation and bail.In an open letter to the public, Creuzot detailed his plan to curb overly high bail amounts and stop prosecuting most first-time marijuana offenses and some misdemeanors he believes often stem from poverty.“When I ran to become your district attorney, I promised you that I would bring changes to our criminal justice system,” Creuzot wrote in the letter. “The changes that I promised will be a step forward in ending mass incarceration in Dallas County, and will make our community safer by ensuring that our limited resources are spent where they can do the most good.”In a news release, Creuzot’s office called the reforms “data-driven” instead of influenced by race or financial standing.  Continue reading...