John,

Since taking office a few months ago, we’ve made some significant gains and are bringing real change to the Harris County District Attorney’s office. 

But, there is still much work to be done. To create real lasting change for our public safety in Harris County, we need investment for big and bold policy changes that address the root causes of crime in our community. 

I recently penned an op-ed in The Houston Chronicle to advocate for these reforms and call on our legislature to not only address bail reform, but a myriad of issues that need our focus to truly address the needs of our community. 
 

Partisan soundbites are easy. Real criminal justice reform in Texas requires legislative leadership. | Opinion
By Sean Teare
March 21, 2025

On a rainy day in September 2021, the Damon Allen Act, SB6, was signed into law in Houston. Mr. Allen was a Texas State Trooper brutally murdered on Thanksgiving Day in 2017 by a violent offender out on bond. The new law would change how bail is set, giving judges more information on a defendant’s criminal history. It would prevent the release of violent offenders on personal bonds (bonds that do not require any payment up front) and would require training for magistrates setting bail. 
 
That law was supposed to fix the state’s broken bail system. Yet four years later, we are still debating the issue. Harris County deserves better.  I want to work with our legislators on both sides of the aisle to make this community safer.

Since 2021, dozens of people in Houston have been murdered by people out on bond. Now, the same legislature that promised to "fix" bail laws is going back to the drawing board. I support legislative fixes to our current bail laws, such as granting judges more discretion to hold dangerous individuals without bond and expanding data sharing to improve decision-making. But sustainable public safety requires a broader vision. 

Sadly, the gap between tired political narratives and meaningful change continues to grow. The playbook pushed by some politicians should be familiar by now: scapegoat judges as “soft on crime” and belittle “smart on crime” programs proven to save lives. I, for one, have had enough.
 
I've spent my career putting dangerous people behind bars and, as district attorney, I continue to go after violent offenders. As a prosecutor, I also know supporting the same failed policies of the past 40 years out of political expediency does not make us safer. Worse, they exacerbate the challenges within the system and steal away our ability to invest in big, bold reforms that actually prevent crime.

Since taking office in January, I’ve reorganized our office to focus on eliminating the primary drivers of violent crime. I’ve created new bureaus dedicated to homicide, mental health and domestic violence. To do this, I’ve brought back seasoned staff, adding over 150 years of combined legal experience to the DA’s office to bring cases to a successful conclusion. We are overhauling the process for deciding which charges to accept or deny in order to shorten the criminal case backlog and ensure the cases we pursue are based on ample evidence.
 
But what our prosecutors need from Austin now is meaningful action. To reduce violence, lawmakers must confront the fact there are too many guns on our streets used to murder innocent people. Yet the debate about the need for common sense gun safety laws has faded, despite the pleas for change from survivors of mass shootings at Santa Fe High School, Uvalde and countless other tragedies. These families continue begging for action, yet our state leadership refuses to pass universal background checks, red flag laws and stricter limits on who can purchase assault weapons. These proposals are not only effective but are overwhelmingly popular with Texans.
 
Our lawmakers must also understand that to save lives, we must make major investments in how we approach domestic violence. Since 2019, there has been a 26% increase in domestic violence cases in Texas. The majority of homicides happen between individuals who know each other, with a significant portion tied to family violence. Our representatives should strengthen laws allowing courts to take guns away from abusers when appropriate and adequately fund violence prevention programs.
 
These laws must be paired with meaningful support for survivors. Advocates for crime survivors are pleading with our legislature to fund Trauma Recovery Centers — places designed to provide emergency support and social services to help survivors stabilize and heal. Yet state leaders have not funded these programs in Texas.
 
We also know that successful prosecution of violent offenders relies on crime labs processing evidence efficiently and accurately. These labs are vital for advancing cases and reducing the dangerous criminal case backlog. As Harris County’s population grows, funding for these vital labs must keep up with the pace.
 
Mental health in the criminal justice system must also be addressed. Today, 80% of individuals in our jails have a mental health disorder, and a third are on psychotropic medications. These men and women take up space needed for the most violent, dangerous offenders, forcing taxpayers to spend more than $50 million to transport inmates to neighboring counties and states. That’s unacceptable. Instead, we need support for health-based alternatives, including temporary housing, treatment and step-down facilities where individuals can be diverted from endless incarceration and treated by medical professionals.
 
Making our community safer starts with honest conversations about the root causes of crime in Harris County. It requires state leaders to invest in holistic solutions rather than aim “tough on crime” soundbites at one political party. Enacting bold reforms that prevent crime requires real leadership and collaboration. 
 
Together, we can do this. Let’s get to work.
 

I hope you will join me in calling on our elected officials to address these issues, and continue working with me to make Harris County a safer place to live, work, and raise our families.

Thank you for support,

Sean