Court and Probation Services

The Intake Unit is the “front door" to the juvenile justice system and has multiple functions. Intake operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round. The staff in Intake ensure the elements of probable cause exist before accepting a referred offense, conduct initial screenings, and collect pertinent social history information from youth and family. This information is used to determine if diversion is appropriate, provide referrals to community resources, and make the initial decision to release or detain a juvenile as per the Texas Family Code guidelines. Intake offers three diversion programs:

• Neighborhood Conferencing Committee
• Second Chance Program
• Sole Sanction Program

The Court Unit is responsible for working with families during the adjudication and disposition process. These are cases alleging that a youth engaged in delinquent conduct. This unit also handles more serious cases that involve determinate sentence offenses or a possible transfer to adult criminal court. Court officers conduct thorough investigations, gather pertinent documents, arrange assessments, set up treatment, and prepare court reports. The court officers represent the Probation Department by providing testimony and appropriate recommendations for the Court to consider in its decisions.

The Deferred Prosecution Unit (DPU) is responsible for supervising juvenile offenders who are diverted from the formal court process. Eligible youth are typically new to the system. The unit usually supervises youth for six months. The DPU contract specifies rules for youth to follow similar to formal probation. Successful completion of the DPU contract results in the closure of the case without the need to move forward with formal court proceedings.

The Crossover Unit addresses the comprehensive needs of youth involved with the juvenile justice system and the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The goal is to divert such youth and their families from moving deeper into either system. Professionals from each system collaborate to create a continuity of care for families and their youth. Each youth has a team comprised of a Juvenile Probation Officer, DFPS Caseworker, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), and an Attorney Ad Litem. The probation officer and the DFPS worker work as a team to provide supervision, joint case planning, and coordinate assessments and referrals for appropriate services.

The Victims Services Unit oversees services for victims of juvenile offenders related to property crimes. These services include notification of victim rights, crisis intervention, referrals to public and private agencies, mechanisms for victim feedback, protection from threats and reprisals, assistance with the Crime Victims Compensation Fund Application, education concerning the juvenile justice system, Victim Impact Panels, Pot of Gold program, court accompaniment, and victim advocacy. The Pot of Gold program allows eligible youth to access up to $500 that goes toward a restitution payment plan, with the victim receiving $10.00 for each hour the youth works (up to $500). Victim Services also coordinates victim/offender mediation through volunteers from the Dispute Resolution Center.

The Transport Unit is responsible for transporting youth to and from other facilities or appointments.

The Outreach and Tracking Unit provides additional home, school, and field visits for juveniles in the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department.

Judge-ordered participation provides additional supervision for juveniles with serious offenses and/or have curfew issues. Juvenile Probation Officers will monitor by logging into the GPS link to make sure youth are charging their GPS monitors and following rules regarding their location and curfew as provided by the court.

The two field probation units, North and South, are organized geographically according to zip codes. They perform standard supervision, which includes office, school, home, field, and work visits, curfew checks, urine drug screening, parent contacts, monitoring of participation, progress and completion of court-ordered programs, support of victim restitution, and monitoring of community service restitution completion. Both units include bilingual (Spanish-speaking) Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs).

The JPOs employ various tools and resources to support youth's needs, which include utilizing assessments of risk, needs, mental health, and substance use, case planning and referrals to departmental and community social services, specialized programs, and various forms of treatment. Supervision consists of phone, in-person, and virtual contact between the JPO and youth and their families/guardians in various settings such as schools, offices, or the youth’s home. Collateral contacts with schools, service providers, and other agencies including the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services (TDFPS), Interstate Compact for Juveniles (ICJ), and other juvenile probation jurisdictions, are critical in supervision and service provision to youth and families. JPO Assistants in this division are supported by JPOs, who conduct fieldwork and support youth and families in conjunction with the assigned JPO.

Each field unit also includes an Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) JPO. This program provides the highest and most intense supervision in the community. ISP is characterized by an increased frequency of contacts, prompt responses to probation violations, and interventions and incentives designed to address juveniles’ behavioral issues and encourage change. Youth on ISP may be required to complete additional programming to address more significant needs and a higher risk of re-offending.

The Problematic Sexual Behavior Unit supervises youth who are referred for sex offenses. This unit supports youth as they complete court-mandated outpatient treatment for problematic sexual behavior with Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Providers (LSOTP). JPOs and LSOTPs collaborate at a high level to support treatment progress in the program and community safety. The treatment goal is “No More Victims.” Sex offender registration is typically deferred for all Travis County youth while they are engaged in treatment. Youth may give judicial confessions before referrals to treatment, resulting in petitions being dismissed upon successful completion of offense-specific treatment. There is a specialized docket with a dedicated judge for this unit. The duration of outpatient treatment varies based on the needs and engagement of the youth and may last up to two years. JPOs routinely attend the treatment groups as observers as a best practice to support the youth’s progress.

The Placement Unit supervises adjudicated and non-adjudicated youth in court-ordered, out-of-home placement. Facilities may be non-secure or secure and are certified by TDFPS or the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Youth participate in programming including education, vocational preparation, and treatment. JPOs visit youth at their facility at least once per month and work within a multi-disciplinary team to include case managers and clinicians at facilities, collaborating to support juvenile progress and program completion and transition back to the community. JPOs also support families with linkage to social services resources to address family basic needs and encourage treatment engagement during placement to prepare for the youth’s return home. Re-entry planning begins on the admission date and becomes stronger and more specific as the return to the community nears. Placement duration generally lasts six to nine months, although placement for youth with sexual behavior problems typically lasts at least twelve months.

This unit includes the Special Needs Diversionary Program (SNDP) and Collaborative Opportunities for Positive Experiences (COPE). Both have a dedicated judge, clinicians and JPOs and utilize a multidisciplinary approach with youth and families. They provide supervision and specialized case management, including service linkage for youth with mental health concerns.

SNDP is a specialized community-based mental health program for juveniles who have given a judicial confession or have been adjudicated. JPOs partner with Integral Care therapists to provide in-home services to youth experiencing serious emotional or behavioral issues and to connect them with community resources for stabilization and ongoing mental health care.

COPE is a voluntary, deferred prosecution program serving non-adjudicated youth with a mental health diagnosis and their families. The program uses a strengths-based, team approach, with regular and collaborative court hearings with a dedicated judge. It aims to provide mental health services for youth to assist with stabilization and prevent further offenses in the juvenile justice system.

The Placement Coordinator facilitates departmental staffing for out-of-home placement, including non-secure and secure external placement, as well as the Department’s post-adjudication secure facility, the Meurer Intermediate Sanctions Center (ISC). This role serves as the liaison with external facilities for referrals and admissions, participates in contract development as a Subject Matter Expert, conducts contract monitoring to include annual site visits and review of all components of service provision, and leads welfare checks on behalf of the department.