[Zhang Fei]

Catch and release arrives in Houston

[Spirochete]

Graffiti, if the amount of pecuniary loss is $100 or more but less than $2500 Theft, if the value of the property stolen is $100 or more but less than $750

That's if the police catch them. Armed citizens are an entirely different matter.

In Texas, at night, petty theft and criminal mischief can potentially justify deadly force. Only at night, for some weird reason.

[libertylover]

where it has helped to reduce jail population,

Well, obviously. But what happened to the crime rate?

[Quickgun]

Those crimes will be treated the same as always. They will still be prosecuted, they just won’t involve officers ferrying low level offenders back and forth all day. Those misdemeanors aren’t treated with immediate incarceration anyway. The offender is usually carried in, booked, posts his bond, or signs a personal recognizance and is released, or even taken back to his home. The officer being able to issue a citation on the spot helps keep the officers out on patrol. Not that I am a fan of either the police chief in Houston or the mayor, I’m not. They are both liberal jerks.

[faithhopecharity]

catch and release is a GOOD IDEA if......and this is a big IF....the list of offenses is VERY carefully drawn up.

Out in Californication, they release and do not usually prosecute if thefts are under $950 as I recall. Results in tons and tons more thefts from stores and parked cars....

It sounded reasonable, don’t waste everyone’s time and taxpayer money on the small stuff, thus releasing police and all the rest to concentrate on better prevention of the larger, more serious crimes. Sounds good, but....it did not work out at all well.

I would eliminate ATF for starters, since every enforcement action it takes is itself a crime against our country and our constitution. Send those personnel to Houston maybe to help the local police if they need help?

[lowbridge]

““The cite-and-release program has been implemented in other cities where it has helped to reduce jail population,”

And increased crime.

[dragnet2]

Don’t mess with Texas...yukyuk.

[Gasshog]

Woo Hoo free Gas and Munchies!

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I am not in agreement with not jailing or punishing low level criminals.

However....if the judges are not going to set a bail that keeps them in jail and/or the prosecutors are not going to prosecute these “low level” offenses....issuing a criminal citation with a court date for an initial hearing on the citation is a good way to let the cop get back to work instead of spending 3 hours on paperwork so the jerj can just get released before the cop is done typing.

[familyop]

"The following Class A and B misdemeanors are eligible for tickets instead of jail time: Possession of a controlled substance, if the controlled substance is four ounces or less Criminal Mischief..."

Wow. That would be a lot of meth or fentanyl and crimes expanding like wildfire. Quite a few cities have implemented similar policies on theft, too. Hold on to your hats, folks. Watch for much more rapid increases in the number of Democrats, if we're not already overloaded.

A hotter wind is coming for sure. Campaign for President Trump and straight Republican ballots, if you want freedoms for defending yourselves.

[ro_dreaming]

And that’s exactly why I took the LTC course last weekend, and get my fingerprinting this weekend.

I’m 35 miles outside of downtown Houston, and fortunately not in Harris county.

[Captain Rhino]

Given all the crimes requiring at least $100 minimum value to even be citable by police, Houston just became a petty crime center of excellence. Just another inspired Democrat following the great examples being set by Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc. etc.

Why would any retail business ever locate to or stay in these cities?

[Ron H.]

Just another reason I got out of Houston and Harris County when I did over 20 years ago.