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Duties:
The tri-county Judicial District Community Supervision & Corrections
Department works with both law enforcement and the courts. Probation
officers, work with probationers from both the District Courts and County Courts
at Law. The judges of those courts determine when probation is granted, how long
the probation will last and how much will be paid in fines, restitution, and
supervision fees. If a probationer breaks a rule, the judge who placed him
on probation can revoke the probation after a hearing and require the person to
serve the sentence imposed by the court.
Community supervision
and corrections is unique in the tri-county region as the only direct
alternative to costly incarceration at local and state levels. Efforts are made
to see that offenders remain employed and support their dependents like other
citizens. Able offenders are further required to pay fees that provide for a
large percentage of their supervision and rehabilitative programming costs.
Thus, community supervision is the only element of the criminal justice
system that allows offenders to remain under local court jurisdiction while
working, contributing to their own supervision costs and making restitution to
victims.
The
Juvenile Probation department works with minor probationers, those
under the age of 18.
Serving Criminal Courts
This department serves criminal courts in Comal, Caldwell and Hays counties in
the following ways:
Providing
pre-sentence investigation reports Suggesting
well-reasoned, legal alternatives to incarceration Carefully
documenting and maintaining files Preparing timely
violation reports Providing
supervision alternatives and sanctions.
Protecting the Community
The Judicial District Community Supervision & Corrections Department performs
these tasks to protect the communities of Comal, Caldwell and Hays counties:
Assessing and
referring offenders to programs designed to correct identified problem
behaviors Providing
information to crime victims in a manner that respects the dignity of the
victim and documents safety concerns, input to court and collection of
court-ordered restitution Supervising
offenders at various levels, including contacts in their communities, based
on each offender's risk Continuing staff
development training
Networking in
the community to maximize resource use.
Providing Rehabilitation
In an effort to provide rehabilitative opportunities to offenders, this
department:
Treats offenders
with respect and dignity to create an atmosphere where positive change is
encouraged Provides methods
for positive behavior change through referrals to individualized programs Monitors
attendance to rehabilitative programs Monitors
supervision/treatment plans and orders of the court with clear communication
to offenders regarding compliance.
Sanctioning Offenders
When necessary, this department sanctions probationers who fail to comply with
supervision programs, treatment plans or court orders. This part of
rehabilitation is designed to deter future violations during the period of
community supervision. Three levels of sanctions may be imposed on
offenders.
The least
restrictive sanctions are those imposed by probation officers. These
sanctions include:
Increasing the frequency of offender reporting
Referring the offender to further in-house evening or weekend
programs
Referring the offender to the Day Treatment Program Holding
an administrative hearing with the probation supervisor
Moving
the offender up to intensive supervision
Filing a
notice to show cause (summons)
Filing a
violation notice requesting a motion to revoke supervision.
Sanctions that
courts may use against offenders are more restrictive than those imposed by
probation officers. Those include:
Adding
community service hours
Extending the period of probation, up to 10 years (3 years for
misdemeanor cases) Imposing
an ignition interlock device for intoxication-related offenses
Changing
the rehabilitative release from the local jail to the Day Treatment
Program.
Moving
the offender up to intensive supervision
Stipulating a private treatment facility
Contracting residential services
Adding
jail time as a condition of the supervision
Imposing
sentence to community correctional facility, including
court residential treatment centers
and restitution centers
Moving
to intermediate sanction
facilities
Revoking
probation and sending the offender to the county jail.
The most
restrictive sanctions which can be made to offenders on community
supervision and corrections are those imposed by the state, after court
orders, including:
Sentencing to state boot camp program
Sentencing to shock penitentiary time
Imposing
enrollment to a
substance abuse felony punishment facility
program
Revoking
probation and sending the offender to a state jail or state prison.
Facilities:
Contract Residential Services
When an offender needs treatment for chemical dependency and/or mental health
issues, subjects are referred to specialized residential facilities where such
services can be obtained. These placements are made with department money or
with grant money. There is generally limited space.
Court Residential Treatment Centers
The purpose of these facilities is to focus on a client's
recovery from drug or alcohol addiction then help him/her
secure employment and become self-supporting. The centers
attempt to help clients restructure their
thinking while teaching responsible living. These are not
secure facilities; failure to report as instructed or
leaving a court residential treatment center is a state jail
felony offense.
Restitution Centers
These facilities are very limited in number but do provide residential services
combined with off-site work pursuits. Once employed, the offender pays room and
board to the facility. Some of those earnings go back to the court and/or
probation office to clear debts owed and to support their families. The focus of
these centers is on living skills and self-support aimed at independent living
through self-support.
Intermediate Sanction Facility
These are generally barracks-type living facilities for subjects who have
violated their conditions of probation. Clients stay in for periods of 90 days
to 24 months to establish a regular work pattern involving five day per week (or
more) community service. Once the pattern is established and the client
has demonstrated cooperation with the program's elements, they are released to
return to intensive probation where they will be more closely monitored than on
standard supervision levels.
Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility
These facilities are operated behind prison walls. The program lasts
approximately six months. While incarcerated here, clients attend classes, group
counseling and group processing. The program is aimed at getting clients to
realize how significant chemicals are in their lives and what can be done to
accept responsibility and change their behavior. This is the most intense
chemical dependency treatment program available in the world of corrections.
Once the lock-up
portion of the program has been completed (six months), the client goes to a
half-way house or transitional treatment center. During this phase, the
probationer must get a job and begin to get used to the increasing hours of free
time in the community. All of this will be followed by six to nine months of
aftercare counseling. This counseling helps clients deal with relapse
prevention issues and other problems that are likely to arise with this
high-risk population once they return to the community. A Special (Intensive)
Probation Officer who is familiar with the regimen of these treatment facilities
supervises the year of aftercare counseling.
Programs:
The following is a list of programs offered by the tri-county Judicial
District Community Supervision & Corrections department:
Anger Intervention
Offenders who assault and clients who have difficulty controlling their
behavior when angry attend and pay a fee for this program. This six-hour
program addresses the changing role of men in the abuse cycle, the
influence of drugs on assaultive behavior, relaxation and stress
reduction and elements of Albert Ellis' Rational Emotive Therapy to deal
with cognitive issues leading to abuse.
Discovery Group
This program is for clients with strong
indicators of drug/alcohol abuse who should be going to a 12-step
(AA/NA) program. In this six-hour program, the leader addresses chemical
dependency as a disease. Families and/or significant others are expected
to participate in this program. The goal is to get the probationer into
an ongoing 12-step program or other support group.
Drug Offender Education
This program targets offenders
convicted of drug-related offenses and other probationers who have
drug-related symptoms. There is a charge for this program. Sanctioned by
the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, this program is designed
to educate clients on the dangers of drug use/abuse and associated
illegal activities. The eight sessions of this program include both
pre-admission and exit interviews and cover topics including:
Illegal aspects of drug use/abuse
History of drug abuse
Effects of specific drugs
Downward steps to drug dependence Costs
of drug use/abuse HIV
infection
Values and behavior inventory Drug
replacements
Relapse prevention and warning signs
Personal action plan to remain drug free.
Domestic Violence Prevention
Offenders with domestic violence issues are enrolled in this program
which costs $150 for locally supervised clients or $300 for others. A
24-session program designed to address factors leading to family
violence: the abuse cycle, the influence of drugs/alcohol in assaultive
situations, stress reduction, relaxation and creative ways to express
emotions without violence.
DWI-Education
This program targets first time DWI offenders and requires a fee. This
course is certified by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Six sessions, including a pre-admission and exit interview, plus four
modules:
DWI as a
social problem, the law and client hostilities toward the criminal
justice system Physical
and psychological effects of alcohol Problem
drinking and alcoholism
Decision-making including a plan to prevent future DWI behavior.
In-House Out-Patient Program (IHOPP)
This free program is offered to clients suspected of chemical dependency
problems identified through CSO assessment, prior record and/or positive
urine samples. Facilitated by a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor
this program includes three aspects of chemical dependency programming:
Individual
assessment/evaluation Individual
counseling for crisis issues and relapse prevention Ongoing
out-patient program services (group or individual).
Recovery Works
Clients who have completed residential treatment participate in this
free support group which is facilitated by a licensed chemical
dependency counselor to aid those clients who have begun to walk
the 12-steps of recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics
Anonymous (NA) but who need encouragement and technical advice to
complete their recovery.
Relapse
Prevention Group
After completing a
treatment program along with a significant number of 12-step
(AA/NA) meetings, clients are referred to this program.
The focus of this group is awareness and avoidance of
"triggers" that may lead to use of drugs or alcohol again,
keeping the participant sober, and dealing with the needed
changes to maintain the sobriety started in treatment.
Budgeting
Course
This is a two session program that covers appropriate budget
planning , checking account management, and responsible
credit management principles. It is designed for
offenders who have histories of poor financial management
patterns and for those who fall behind on money owed to the
court.
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