Every year, the state of Texas implements a “Warrant Round Up”.
This is a period of time, in which the state takes part in a police surge, to
arrest those with outstanding warrants.
While this is a good program, the City of Houston has added
an extra step. The City of Houston, as of November 2014, implemented an “amnesty
program” before the Texas Warrant Round up would begin.
Houston’s amnesty program should not be in place, a criminal
should have to pay for their crimes.
While I support the Texas Warrant Round Up and I believe we
should give people the opportunity to be notified that there is a warrant on
their record, complete amnesty is taking things too far. Every person has to
make decisions in their life and when they make a decision, they weigh the pros
and cons. The laws should influence their decision. They should consider the
punishment that will be upon them if they break the law. If they believe they can
break the law without punishment, they will be more likely to break the law. Now,
don’t get me wrong, if you have a warrant on your name, you should be notified and
you should have the chance to resolve your case. You should not be exempted from your
punishment. Texas Warrant Round Up is a good policy and keeps our communities
safe. However, Houston’s policy dilutes the effectiveness of the program and
should not be in place.
