These commentaries reflect aspects of my research. Early in the 1970’s as I taught a course on Criminal Justice and had the District Attorney, Ronnie Earle speak to my class, he and I began a field research project. DA Earle was concerned with the growing youth gang activity and asked me and my graduate students to assist a project the DA had of Neighborhood Conference Committees. The Committees would meet with youth offenders and deliberate on the charges and then assign neighborhood tasks such as cleaning a vacant lot as an alternative to incarceration. We involved the Austin Police in the efforts and a new chief, Stanley Knee and his chief of staff, Robert Dahlstrom set new standards in community policing. Another of my interests is dimensions of Texas State Government after a request for my research by Governor William Clements in 1979. Governor Clements asked me to meet with him in his offices and to assist him in gathering information on how employees in state government felt about their specific organization, the leadership, pay, benefits and work conditions. He told me in that meeting that from his experience of running organizations in the business world that it was critical to have regular communication with all members. He wanted to apply that orientation to his actions as a governor. Some years later I saw Representative Henry Cuellar in one of the hallways of the Texas House and he asked if I had shopped at Walmart yet. I said, “No.” He said, “Please go shop there and then let’s talk.” I did and met a Walmart greeter and understood what Henry was talking about. We met and he created state legislation to require state agencies to, if possible, contact citizens that used their services and ask the citizens to assess how well they performed.

These postings like this one that I send seek to reflect these efforts of building social capital. Given the flood of immigrants crossing the border with Mexico, even far more than the threat that Covid posed, are now the greatest challenge to life, freedom and prosperity in Texas, in the nation. The attached file examines these issues more fully. As we enter 2024 with wars in Europe and the Middle East, a heated battle for the American Presidency and some reason to be watchful of the strength of the economy in 2024, we  face a very demanding coming year!