VOTE411 Voter Guide

The important word in this question is "juvenile." Children are not adults, and have less capacity to make good, informed decisions. In juvenile justice, the court must balance community safety and the rehabilitation of the child before them. When suitable, I prefer diversion programs and alternatives to detention. When the safety of the community is compromised by the child's behavior, detention combined with treatment is needed instead.

I support all alternatives to detention when the child's behavior does not endanger the community. Having co-chaired the Houston Bar Association's Juvenile Consequences Committee, I know diversion works when the delinquency is minor and the child has family support. In such cases, the child is not charged at all if the program is completed successfully. Next is deferred adjudication, where the child completes a probationary period successfully, finishing requirements and avoiding all other delinquency activity, ending in dismissal of the case. I support specialty courts as well, which provide a more intensive focus on particular issues a child may be facing, such as drugs, problematic sexual behavior, or gangs.

Rehabilitation, accountability, and public safety are at the heart of the work happening in the Juvenile Justice System. I work diligently to address community safety while considering a youth's circumstances, history, the allegations, resources within the system, and in the community. The Court proactively works with families and community providers to place interventions specific to the youth's needs to mitigate or eliminate the cause for system involvement and detention. Diversion programs are integrated into the juvenile justice system of Harris County via key stakeholders including the Juvenile Probation Department, defense bar, and the District Attorney’s Office, and used whenever appropriate with consideration for public safety.

In order to address the needs of the youth and protect public safety, alternatives to detention provide necessary interventions and services that are developmentally appropriate for children. The Court coordinates with parents, the juvenile probation department, and service providers to ensure the children are getting appropriate services while maintaining community safety. Examples: The Harris County Youth Diversion Center provides in-patient mental health services and family therapy. In-home interventions, like Multi-systemic Therapy, help create a safe environment for parents, youth, and household. The juvenile system is invested in youth remaining safely at home, in school, and in communities as they develop socially and emotionally.