Criminal Justice and Public Safety

 - Fiscal Size-Up.

What is Criminal Justice and Public Safety Policy?

Public safety and criminal justice agencies are funded in Article V of the General Appropriations Act and provide various services to ensure the safety and security of Texans. Those services include the adult and juvenile corrections systems (community supervision, incarceration, and parole services), law enforcement and highway patrol, the Texas military forces, and driver license processing. Additional services provided include county jail regulation, law enforcement officer training and licensing, alcoholic beverage industry oversight, and firefighter certification. Border security is coordinated among several Article V agencies and agencies in other articles of government. Public safety and criminal justice agencies are funded primarily with General Revenue Funds.

Executive Agencies

- Alcoholic Beverage Commission: To deter violations of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code by inspecting licensed establishments within the alcoholic beverage industry, investigating complaints, regulating the personal importation of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes through the state’s ports-of-entry locations with Mexico and the seaport at Galveston, and enforcing state law.

- Department of Criminal Justice: To incarcerate off enders in state prisons, state jails, and private correctional facilities; to provide funding and certain oversight of community supervision; and to be responsible for the supervision of off enders released from prison on parole. Th e mission of the department is to provide public safety, promote positive change in off ender behavior, reintegrate off enders into society, and assist victims of crime.

- Commission on Fire Protection: To develop professional standards and enforce statewide fi re laws to assist local governments in ensuring that the lives and property of the public and fi re service providers are protected adequately from fi res and related hazards.

- Commission on Jail Standards: To establish and enforce minimum standards for the provision and operation of jails, and to provide consultation, training, and technical assistance to help local governments comply with those standards.

- Juvenile Justice Department: To provide financial and professional assistance to local juvenile probation departments, to provide regulatory oversight of local probation departments, and to ensure public safety and the provision of effective programming and rehabilitative services to juveniles committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department state services and facilities.

- Commission on Law Enforcement: To screen, develop, and monitor resources for continuing education for law enforcement officers, and set standards for behavior; and to develop, maintain, and enforce minimum qualifications for the selection, training, and certification of law enforcement personnel, county correctional officers, and telecommunicators.

- Military Department: To provide administrative and financial resources for state activities conducted by the three branches of the Texas military forces: the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and the Texas State Guard.

- Department of Public Safety: To enforce laws protecting and promoting public safety by the prevention and detection of crime; improve highway safety and public safety communications; and provide regulatory and licensing services.