• Texas has the largest death row prison population in the nation.barbed wire image by igor_kell from Fotolia.com
  
  Every state in the nation uses almost the same penalties for criminal offenders but manages them differently. According to the Pew Center on the States, as of December 2007, Texas boasts the fourth highest rate of correctional control, with one of every 22 individuals in the state under some form of community corrections. Correctional control includes probation, parole, jail and prison.
  
  

Misdemeanors

• Texas has three misdemeanor levels: Class A, B and C. Class A or B misdemeanors may be punished by jail time and fines; the punishment for Class C misdemeanors is usually limited to fines up to $500 only. Examples of Class A misdemeanors include burglary, theft between $500 to $1,500 and stalking. Persons convicted of theft between $20 and $500, possession of marijuana, making terrorist threats and drinking and driving are charged with a Class B misdemeanor. Finally, theft of less than $20, selling term papers, attending dog fights and assault without injury qualify as Class C misdemeanors.
  
  

Felonies

• Texas felonies are divided into five levels and maximum penalties typically include both prison time and fines. A capital felony, such as capital murder, is punishable by execution. A first-degree felony is punishable by a prison term between five and 99 years and includes crimes like property theft of more than $200,000 or aggravated sexual assault. A second-degree felony is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years and is charged for crimes such as theft of between $100,000 and $200,000, reckless injury to a child or aggravated sexual assault. A third-degree felony carries a possible prison sentence of between two and 10 years and includes crimes such as a drive-by shooting with no injury or theft of property valued between $20,000 and $100,000. A state jail felony may result in a prison term ranging between six months and two years. Credit card abuse and theft of property between $1,500 up to $20,000 are among chargeable state jail felonies.
  
  

Repeat Offenders

• Generally, if an offender has two prior felony convictions in the state of Texas, he will receive an enhanced sentence of the next higher felony level. State jail felonies are excluded from this implementation.