Discuss how the racial/ethnic makeup of the overall prison population and the death row population in Texas compares to the racial/ethnic breakdown of the general population in Texas. (Review “Who are Texans?” – Chapter 13)

What might explain the racial/ethnic makeup of the prison population in Texas? Which regions of the country have higher incarceration rates and death penalty usage? (Review “Texas and the Nation” – Chapter 13) What do you think explains the differences in the regional patterns of incarceration and death penalty usage?

After reading Chapter 13, how do you feel about the fairness of the Texas criminal justice system? To respond to crime in Texas, should the state decriminalize certain behavior, reduce sentence lengths, invest in crime prevention (such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation), or build more prisons?