State law encourages prostitution diversion programs, if grants are available

Good coverage from the CBS affiliate in Dallas of the new prostitution diversion initiatives mandated for larger Texas counties by the 83rd Lege - or at least it's mandated that they apply for a grant and mandatory that they implement the program if they get one. Here's a notable excerpt quoting a judge from Dallas Harris County, describing the model that the bill now aims to get other counties to emulate:

District Court Judge Maria T. Jackson has sentenced 20 women to the program, working closely with [nonprofit advocate Kathryn] Griffin to monitor their treatment.

“Society has not been addressing the problems of the prostitutes and the women who come in for possession of controlled substance and theft. They’ve been locking them up when they should be dealing with the other, the underlying issues, which are the majority of these girls come from abused homes,” Jackson said.

“They are the victims and they’ve been treated like criminals,” she added.

When they’re released, Griffin first takes the women shopping, “cause all they have is hooker clothes,” she said. Some go to drug rehab or a halfway house. Many require job training. And all must attend Griffin’s external workshop every Wednesday for at least 18 months.

Grits generally supports this project but dislikes this namby pamby non-funding mechanism. If it's worth mandating, ostensibly, it's worth budgeting for. Why leave it up to the Obama Administration or other grant makers whether to fund the Legislature's priorities?