Harris County TX August 2012 Newsletter - JDAI Helpdesk

Annie E. Casey Foundation – Harris County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
Harris County JDAI
!
Volume 4 Issue 4 August 2012
5 Years of Reform Changes Organizational Culture
Special points of interest:
• 5 Years of Reforms –
Page 1
• JDAI Task Forces at
Work – Pages 2-3
• Harris Countyʼs Data-
Driven Champions –
Page 3
• College Education
Development Fund –
Page 4
• Data Tells Our Success
Story – Page 4
Tim Broussard, Deputy Chief,
Intake Court Services
Nancy Baird
JDAI Site Coordinator
Reforming Juvenile Justice...One Kid At A Time
Harris County has completed its 5 th 
year as an Annie E. Casey Foundation Juvenile
Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) site, with the goal to implement reform strategies to
safely reduce reliance on secure detention while at the same time reduce juvenile crime
and keep communities safe. Harris County JDAI continues to work smarter and harder to
divert youth from juvenile justice.
Community Collaborations:
• Re Vision – Partnership of St. Luke’s Methodist and St. Martin’s Episcopal
Churches, works with gang-involved youth in Southwest Houston.
• Change Happens! – Provides mentors to work within Harris County’s residential
facilities and to follow-up with the youth for up to one year upon their release.
• The MET Church – Provides space for probation meetings and access to an
extensive array of programs in the Cypress, Klein, and Tomball areas.
• The Higher Dimension Church – Targeting probationers in southwest Harris County,
with evening programs including “Positive Youth Development Night.”
• Cross in the City – Offers probationers, in the Pasadena area, educational
opportunities including GED preparation and English as a second language, .
• Aldine Youth Center (now Buckner Services Group) – Provides probationers
residing in Northeast Houston with restorative social service programs.
New Programs and Services:
• Juvenile Law 101 – Speakers from the DA’s office, Defense Bar, Texas Families of
Incarcerated Youth, Youth Advisory Council, and Probation provide information to
prepare youth and families for their first court appearance.
• Service-Learning Projects – Community partners, including the Tejano Center for
Community Concerns and the Holocaust Museum, use a teaching method that
combines service to the community with classroom curriculum.
• Education Transition Center (ETC) – Provides GED preparation and testing,
community service opportunities, and life skills to youth released from Juvenile
Probation’s institutions and youth on probation.
• M.A.S.S. (Michael Alexander Sewing and Style School) – Held at the Youth
Services Center, teaching youth the art of sewing and fashion design. The 1st
Fashion Show was a great success!
• VIBE – Program to teach youth how to express themselves positively through
acting, public speaking, debates. poetry, literature, and writing.
• Project H.E.E.L. (Helping Empower Everyone’s Lives) – Corridor Rescue, Inc.,
through an animal assisted violence prevention program, provides rescue dogs,
who live with Leadership Academy residents for 8-weeks, teaching them personal
responsibility, compassion, trust, and forgiveness.
Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge
JDAI ESC Chair
Tom Brooks, Executive Director
Juvenile Probation
“We have transformed juvenile probation’s organizational culture. We continue to meet the
individual needs of our youth while doing away with “cookie cutter/one size fits all” programs. Our
mission – to protect the public using intervention strategies that are community-based, familyoriented,
and least restrictive, while emphasizing responsibility and accountability of both parent
and child – has a new meaning.”
Tom Brooks – Executive Director

Volume 4, Issue 4 August 2012 Page 2
JDAI Task Forces at Work!
Risk Assessment Instrument
(RAI)
• Chairs – Tim Broussard,
Deputy Director, Intake
Court Services and Susan
Bonich, Administrator,
Field Services.
• Developed objective RAI
to decide whether to
detain or release a
referred juvenile from
detention.
• 29% reduction in
detention population after
RAI.
• Harris County Juvenile
Detention Population is
well below national
average.
“Implementing the RAI is
the most dramatic
change to detention
admissions in the last 30
years.”
Tim Broussard & Susan
Bonich
Self-Inspection
• Chairs – Dennis Englade,
Superintendent, Harris
County Leadership
Academy and Keri
Brown, Senior Associate -
Baker Botts, L.L.P.
• Examined all aspects of
Juvenile Detentionʼs
policies, practices, and
programs to prepare
report and monitor
corrective action plans.
• Self-Inspection corrective
action plan implemented.
• Increased programming
and other services to
youth in detention.
“The communityʼs
involvement in detention
programming has made
the biggest impact on
detained youth.”
Dennis Englade &
Keri Brown
Alternatives to Secure Detention
• Chairs – Terri McGee, Assistant Deputy Director,
Intake Court Services and Mary Castillo,
Administrator, Intake Court Services.
• Conducted a utilization study of current alternatives.
• Developed a continuum of services for expedited
release of medium risk cases.
• Evaluated current programs for efficacy and racial
and gender disparities.
“We have been honored to
make a difference in the
juvenile justice systemʼs
alternatives to detention.”
Terri McGee
& Mary Castillo
Case Processing
• Chairs – Guadalupe Washington,
Administrator of Public Affairs
and Adriana Ponce, Senior
Administrator, Harris County
Juvenile Courts.
• Expedited the flow of cases
through the juvenile justice
system.
• Reduced lengths of stay in
custody.
• Developed “Know Your Rights”
information pamphlet for youth.
“Helping kids understand their rights in
the juvenile justice system changes longterm
outcomes.”
Lupe Washington & Adriana Ponce
Special Detention Cases
• Chairs – Julia Ramirez, Deputy Chief, Field Services and Eric Laird, Sergeant, Harris County Constable Precinct 1.
• Developed “Alternative and Response (Progressive Sanctions) Grid” for objective decision-making for youth who
violate probation.
• Reviewed and updated outstanding WRITS and Warrants - voiding over 300 out-of-date.
• Developed and implemented major updates to
law enforcement guidelines regarding WRITS
and Warrants.
• Developed new practices for youth in custody as
a result of violating probation – dramatically
reducing detention as an option.
“We made lasting changes to law
enforcementʼs processing of WRITs and
Warrants and in sanctioning youth who
violate probation with more objective
criteria.”
Eric Laird & Julia Ramirez

Volume 4, Issue 4 August 2012 Page 3
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
• Chairs – Timmie Washington, Administrator,
Field Services and Tarsha Jackson, State
Coordinator, Texas Families of Incarcerated
Youth.
• Developed strategies to eliminate bias and
ensure a level playing field for youth of color.
• Developed Juvenile Law 101, for pre-court
youth and their parents, to provide information
from DAʼs office, Houston Bar Association, and
Juvenile Probation to prepare them for court.
• Implemented the Library Literacy Program as
part of the Admonishment Hearing Program.
“We tried to keep the issue of
DMC at the forefront of all JDAI
discussions with intentional
conversations about ways to
change the status quo.”
Tarsha Jackson &
Tim Washington
Youth Advisory Council (YAC)
• Chairs – Sylvia Latapie, Supervisor, Field Services and
Carlos Cruz, Behavior Support Specialist, Training
Division.
• Developed criteria and training for Youth Advisory
Representatives.
• Recruited, trained, and managed the opportunities for
Representatives.
• YAC Representatives provided over 300 hours of service
to juvenile probation youth through speaking
engagements, mentoring projects, and juvenile probation
program consultation.
“Our work with with the YAC
Representatives has been the
most rewarding work of our
careers. Every time they talk to
probationers is life changing.
They really are making a
difference.”
Sylvia Latapie & Carlos Cruz
Harris Countyʼs Data-Driven Champions
Carla Glover, HCJPD Research Manager, and Nicole Trojan, HCJPD Research Analyst, are the
heroes in ensuring Harris County’s efforts are “Data Driven.” They have served on numerous
task forces and continuously provided data to guide the reforms. Most importantly Carla and
Nicole have cheerfully and competently provided hundreds of graphs, charts, and statistics to
help all stakeholders see the results. Without Carla and Nicole’s hard work our successes would
have gone unnoticed and undocumented. Congratulations for a job well done!
Harris County’s statistics between 2006 (prior to JDAI) through 2011 provide proof of our success
– keeping our community safer and reducing youth involved in the juvenile justice system:
• 29% fewer youth were admitted to the Juvenile Detention Center.
• 35% fewer petitions were filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
• 62% fewer youth were placed in expensive residential facilities.
• 83% fewer youth were committed to the Texas Youth Commission.
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• 37% fewer youth were transferred to adult court (certification).
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Youth crime is down with dramatic savings to taxpayers:
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• 32% drop in auto theft.
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• 69% drop in felony drug.
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• 48% drop in unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
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• 23% drop in burglary.
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• 36% drop in juveniles referred to juvenile probation.
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Volume 4, Issue 4 August 2012 Page 4
Annie E. Casey Foundation – Harris County
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
College Education Development Fund
Young people who successfully complete juvenile probation are
often faced with another barrier – money to pay to continue their
education. As a result of this need, The College Education
Development Fund is being formed as a non-profit corporation
under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The
purpose will be to provide financial assistance to former Harris
County juvenile probationers who are actively pursuing postsecondary
education through either an accredited vocational
school, college, or university. Community stakeholders, who
have been involved with Harris Countʼs JDAI, have volunteered
to serve on the board of directors and guide the non-profit to
raise and distribute funds for these deserving youth.
For Additional Information Contact:
Tom Brooks, Executive Director
Harris County Juvenile Probation
thomas.brooks@hcjpd.hctx.net
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
http://www.jdaihelpdesk.org
“All youth deserve the chance to improve their lives through education.
Juvenile Probation youth should have the same opportunities. Harris
Countyʼs College Education Development Fund is the first of its kind in
the state and an exciting way to help remove financial barriers.”
Kendall Mayfield, Public Information Officer
“I work three jobs to pay for my college tuition and books. The College
Development Education Fund is the answer to my prayers. If only to
help pay for my expensive textbooks, I will be grateful.”
Kiara Lozano
JDAI Youth Advisory Council Representative
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Harris County
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
!
The Data Tells Our Success Story
Harris County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
6-Year Overview
2006
(Pre JDAI)
2011 Total Change
(2006 - 2011)
Referrals to Juvenile Probation 24,877 15,873 -36%
Petitions Filed by District
Attorney’s Office
15,975 10,348 -35%
Detention Admissions 5,816 4,133 -29%
Youth Placed in Residential
Facilities
Youth Committed to the Texas
Youth Commission
4,593 1,768 -62%
569 97 -83%
Staff (Full & Part-Time) 1,409 1,581 12%
Law Enforcement Agencies
Referring to Juvenile Probation
130 130 0%
School Districts in Harris County 26 26 0%
Annual Budget $81 million $97 million 20%
“The Juvenile Judges are
proud of the fundamental
changes made to provide more
equitable services to youth
while keeping our citizens
safe.”
John Phillips
314th District Court
JDAI - MOC Chair
Michael Schneider
315th District Court
JDAI - ESC Vice-Chair
Glenn Devlin
313th District Court
JDAI - DMC Task Force