Juvenile District Judge, 315th Judicial District
Maria Valeria Brock
Republican
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?
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.
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.
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.
