Harris County Juvenile Probation Drug Court Honorable Michael Schneider 315th District Court Harris County, Texas

Mission of the HCJPD Juvenile Drug Court It is the mission of the Harris County Juvenile Drug Court to reduce substance use and related delinquent behavior among participants while increasing pro-social behavior.

Our Vision As participants in the Harris County Juvenile Drug Court reduce substance use, it is our vision that they will increase positive behavior by repairing and strengthening family relationships as well as improving their educational performance.  Participants will be assessed individually to determine the appropriate education plan so that success can be achieved.  Additionally, each participant will be encouraged to engage in positive activities which will enable the juvenile the best opportunity to be successful. The Harris County Juvenile Drug Court will support the youth in achieving their goals through treatment and therapeutic services for the participant and their family, advocating in the schools, accountability for grades and attendance, and encouraging and providing opportunities to not only explore but also engage in activities of interest to the youth.  Upon graduation from the Harris County Juvenile Drug Court, the Judge will grant the participant’s application to seal records, therefore providing the juvenile with a fresh start. 

Participant profile HCJPD Juvenile drug court seeks to work with Post-adjudicated youth, age 14-17 who have exhibited a moderate-to-severe substance abuse problem, as evidenced by commensurate impairments in social, academic, and other functioning as well as non-compliance with previous intervention efforts. Exclusionary Criteria: Current or prior offenses involving force against another person Current or prior offenses involving carrying, possession, or use of a firearm or dangerous weapon Current or prior offenses involving death or serious bodily injury to another person Presence of a severe mental illness (Schizophrenia spectrum, Intellectual/Developmental Disorders)

Components of our team Judge Defense attorneys District attorney Court supervisor Case manager/parent liaison Juvenile probation officers psychologist

Role of the judge Presides over each review hearing Ensures fairness of responses and interventions Develops a meaningful and personal relationship with each youth and parent Reinforces sanctions/responses to relapse or non-compliance Reinforces response/incentives for positive change

Role of defense attorneys Role of District attorneys Advocate for the safety of the community Recommend sanctions/responses to non-compliance

Role of case manager/parent liaison Screen all potential candidates for possible participation in the Drug Court Program Conduct initial interviews with the parents Prepare referrals to be presented to the team for acceptance Procure services for youth and families Provide assistance to families seeking community based resources and government assistance Provide support for parents/caregivers Attend Drug Court Review Hearings

Role of Juvenile probation officers Provide intensive supervision of all participants Minimum of one face to face visit per week Conduct random urinalysis Provide written weekly updates to the Drug Court Team Complete Violation of Probation paperwork should youth commit new offenses or continue non-compliant behavior

Role of juvenile probation officer Con’t Complete Return to Court Summary paperwork should a youth be detained or return to court for new offenses or violations of probation Conduct Motivational Interviewing with youth to elicit change within the participants Monitor participant attendance in treatment Regular communication with the parents Regular communication with schools to monitor attendance, behavior and grades Establish a rapport and relationship with the youth and families so that programs can be tailored to the individual

Role of the Court Manager   Synchronize the team Plan and Schedule the Drug Court Docket Ensure that each participant is assigned a Drug Court Defense Attorney or Assistant Public Defender Supervise the Juvenile Probation Officers and Parent Partner/Case Manager Disseminator of Case information to the  team at large Assist with case planning

Role of psychologist Responsible for the initial clinical assessment of the youth Ascertain history of, and motivations for, substance use Ascertain Motivations, readiness, and barriers for change Dynamics underlying drug use Discuss past intervention attempts Develop initial treatment plan based on risks and needs. Modify treatment plan throughout probation Work with treatment providers to ensure continuity of care

Referrals to the Drug Court Evaluated by Case Manger/Court Manager Qualifies with regards to TX State Statutes District Attorney Policies History of Drug Use Assessments Specific Drug Assessment Psychological Evaluation Parent Interview Psychologist Evaluation Reviews Assessment Conducts Clinical Interview Staffing to Discuss Findings (Psychologist, Probation Staff, Parent Partner) Recommendation to the DC Team

Drug Court Demographics 82 youths have participated in DC Program Males = 70 Females = 12 Racial Distribution Black = 16 White = 66 Ethnicity African America = 16 Anglo = 15 Hispanic = 51 Program Completion 73% Successfully Complete Program 27% Unsuccessful Completion

Juvenile Forensic Evaluations

Types of Juvenile Forensic Evaluations Psychological screenings Full psychological evaluations Competency/Fitness to Proceed Evaluations Lack of Responsibility Evaluations Certification/Juvenile Waiver Evaluations

Psychological Screenings Brief psychological evaluation Includes abbreviated psychological testing to determine youth’s IQ and academic standing Addresses presence of mental health problems (if any) and if further evaluation is required Provides a general overview of youth’s emotional and behavioral functioning to determine: Treatment needs Placement recommendations

Full Psychological Evaluation More in depth evaluation that determines youth’s level of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning Includes IQ, academic, and personality testing Addresses presence of risk and protective factors and provides release/placement recommendations for the court Evaluate important characteristics of the youth that are relevant to understanding delinquent conduct Provide specific treatment recommendations/implications for rehabilitation based on the youth’s needs

Competency/ Fitness to Proceed Evaluations Determine if presence of serious mental illness or intellectual disability impacts youth’s present competence related abilities Assess if the mental illness impacts youth’s factual understanding of the legal system (adversarial nature, courtroom personnel, consequences, etc.) Evaluate the youth’s rational understanding of proceedings against him/her Determine if youth is presently able to consult with his/her lawyer and aid in his/her defense

Lack of Responsibility Evaluations Evaluate presence of serious mental illness or intellectual disability, and if present, how any of these may have directly impacted the youth’s involvement in instant offense Determine if at the time of the alleged act, the youth, as a result of mental illness or intellectual deficiency, lacked substantial capacity either to: Appreciate the wrongfulness of the conduct or to conform conduct to the requirements of the law

Certification/Juvenile Waiver Evaluations Factors relevant to certification: Seriousness of the crime Sophistication and maturity of the child Record and previous history Public safety Psychological evaluations aid the court in addressing the following factors: Risk/potential for dangerousness Sophistication and maturity Amenability to treatment Youth’s understanding of legal process/meaning of certification

Harris County District Courts Trying Criminal Cases November, 2015 to October, 2016 Top 10 Felony Disposed Offenses # of Disposed Cases % of 37,490 Total Disposed Cases POSS CS PG 1 <1G 6,387 17.0% THEFT <$2,500 2/MORE PREV CONV 1,383 3.7% AGG ROBBERY-DEADLY WPN 1,181 3.2% EVADING ARREST/DETENTION W/VEH 1,139 3.0% ASSAULT-FAMILY MEMBER 1,118 UNAUTH USE OF VEHICLE 963 2.6% AGG ASSAULT W/DEADLY WEAPON 957 POSS CS PG 1 1 - 4 GRAMS 937 2.5% FELON POSS WPN 893 2.4% BURGLARY OF HABITATION 779 2.1% TOTAL 15,737 42.0% Original Dispositions (not including MAJ and MRP dispositions) Source: JIMS Report Date: 12/6/2016