Philosophy
What is your philosophy on juvenile justice, and how do you balance accountability with rehabilitation for young people who appear before your court, including your approach to diversion programs and alternatives to detention?
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.
Alternatives
What, if any, alternatives to detention do you support for juvenile offenders? Please discuss program options, as well as when and how such alternatives can be used.
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.
