Just read a great article in the Houston Chronicle regarding the decline in prison populations. The article can be viewed here. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/State-s-prison-population-lowest-in-5-years-3783056.php. In the article it seems that the decline is based on specialized impact courts (such as drug court, DWI impact court, and military service courts) and treatment programs in prison.