Bridge Magazine, a publication from the Center on Michigan, is in the middle of a month-long series analyzing the recent rise in the number of conservative legislators who are taking prison and corrections issues head-on and implementing smart, cost-effective reforms.
In a recent article, Bridge noted that 13 states that passed prison reform measures in 2011 were led by Republican governors. Ten of those states also had a Republican-controlled legislature.
Singling out Texas as a leader, Bridge discussed the issue with Texas legislators Representative Jerry Madden and Senator John Whitmire, who led the wave of reform in Texas that established the model for several other states, including Ohio, Alabama, and Florida. Bridge also noted the support from well-known conservative advocates, including Grover Norquist, a signatory to the Right On Crime Statement of Principles.