DALLAS COUNTY
JUVENILE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS FY 2014
Dr. Terry S. Smith - Executive Director /Chief of Juvenile Probation
John A. Heath – Assistant Executive Director
Judge Cheryl Shannon – Chair Dallas County Juvenile Board
Juvenile Judges Judge Cheryl Shannon – 305th District Court Judge William Mazur – 304th District Court
Associate Judge Derrick Morrison – 305th District Court Associate Judge Diana Herrera – 304th District Court
Judge Melinda Forbes – Referee Court
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Executive Team Executive Director: Dr. Terry S. Smith Assistant Executive Director: Mr. John A. Heath Deputy Directors: Ms. Karen Ramos, Administrative and Executive Services Mr. Bill Edwards, Probation Services Dr. Danny Pirtle, Education Services Dr. John Pita, Psychology and Mental Health Services Mr. Ervin Taylor, Institutional Services
Juvenile Board Members Chair
Judge Cheryl Shannon Vice Chair
Commissioner John Wiley Price Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins
Judge Gracie Lewis Judge William Mazur
Judge Craig Smith Ms. Paula Miller
Judge Andrea Plumlee Judge Robert Burns
A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF
In 2013, we continue our focus of putting Youth First. Thus creating, augmenting and developing programs and services that best fit our population. We have made significant strides for Dallas County by utilizing diversion courts, creating programs that are data driven for special populations, ardently seeking community partnerships, reestablishing family engagement and capitalizing on the value of restorative justice. I, along with an exceptional administrative team, am proud of our Department’s
accomplishments. This includes reducing racial disparities with the establishment of a premier diversion court-DMC (Diversion Male Court). Additionally, we are expanding the parameters of ESTEEM court to accept post-adjudicated girls. We reduced our override rate leading to declines in racial incongruence. Probation staff worked alongside administration to decrease the filing of non-violent VOPs (i.e., failure to contact probation officer). Moreover, this is the first time since 2011 that we have reached our target placement goal of 120 youth. The number of youth coming into the system continues to decline, allowing this Department to focus on those youth who need intense services. I am extremely proud of the Dallas County Juvenile Department staff especially those who shifted their paradigm by thinking outside of the box. By tackling the ‘low hanging’ fruit we
have been able to keep low-level offenders in the community thus preventing further ingress into our system. We have an incomparable and consummate judiciary team lead by Judge Cheryl Shannon-305th District Court and Judge William Mazur-304th District Court along with their Associate Judges and Detention Judge; Judge Derrick Morrison, Judge Diana Herrera and Judge Melinda Forbes respectively. Their support directly sets our foundation for new and innovative programming. Additionally, we have had tremendous support from our Juvenile Board. They too have demonstrated incredible dedication by giving their free time, supporting initiatives and sharing our successes in their travels. Although we are significantly making a difference in the lives of the youth and families we
serve, we are not done yet. Albeit some may be satisfied with these accomplishments, this administration is not, it is not time to rest on our laurels. We must continue to work on prevention and intervention for the youth and families of Dallas County. We must continue putting Youth First! Many Thanks! Terry S. Smith Executive Director/Chief of Juvenile Probation
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Dallas County Juvenile Department
The Mission of the Dallas County Juvenile Department is to assist referred youth in becoming productive, law abiding citizens, while promoting public safety and victim restoration.
FY 2013 Major Accomplishments
The successful implementation of
the DMC (Diversion Male Court)
whose is target black and brown
male youth diverting them from
penetrating the Juvenile Justice
System as well as reduce the
Department’s Disproportionate
Minority Contact.
Totally revamping the
Department’s publications,
internal newsletter, and overall
public relations/marketing
strategy which has produced a
significant increase in positive
print, television, radio coverage.
Created the Department’s first
Educational Advocacy Team
which is designed to provide a
“safe bridge” for our students
back to their home schools. This
effort has been buoyed by our
largest referral source, Dallas ISD
pledging unprecedented
cooperation and access to
campus and system leadership.
Received the high scores again
from the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department during the annual
audit of facilities for the
Detention Center Pre and Post
Programs (97.1% and 98.3%)
and the Lyle B. Medlock
Treatment Facility (98.01%).
Created JD Stat - a
performance-measurement
and management tool
designed to make the Dallas
County Juvenile Department
more accountable and more
efficient. JD Stat brings silicon
content into a carbon context.
Reduced RAI overrides from 34%
to 17%.
Violations of probation were
reduced 10% and we are
making even more headway
presently.
Were awarded nearly $150,000
in competitive grants.
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FY 2014 Goals
►Continue to rely on Data Driven
Initiatives. James Bell Esq.
Founder and Executive Director
W. Haywood Burns Institute is
regularly shares with Juvenile Justice
practitioners the following quote,
“Most juvenile justice systems don’t
gather data to run their
Department, they usually gather data to give it to someone else.”
The Dallas County Juvenile
Department defies that stereotype!
►Focus on the further reduction in
Juvenile Disproportionate Minority
Contact. The DMC Diversion Court
targeting Black and Brown males
will be a major tool in our efforts.
►For some time the Juvenile
Department has desired have an
Evening Reporting Center where
youth in targeted districts would not
only report to their Probation Officer,
but would access tutoring, psych
groups, and for youth who have
technical violations of probation.
►Consistent reduction in the filing of
Violations of Probation which would
in turn assist us to avoid placing the
youth in Detention for technical
violations, but rather we would
provide services to the youth in the
community that would address the
root causes of the violation(s).
►Increase the number of “front-
end” community partners focused
on prevention and intervention with
our youth.
►Opening The Letot Residential
Treatment Center and developing
the greatest girls treatment program
in the nation subsequently allowing
the Juvenile Department to serve as
THE model for the Nation.
►Establish gender specific ascetics
and programs for the girls at the
Letot Center, Marzelle Hill Center,
and the Dr. Jerome McNeil Jr.
Detention center.
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FY 2014 Budget and Spending Plan
Because of the better choices we
have made under the direction of
the Dallas County Juvenile Board
and the support of the Dallas
Commissioners Court we are in a
better position than many of our
counter parts within the State of
Texas and around the Nation.
The proposed FY 2014 budget
protects the progress we’ve made
together, and positions the Dallas
County Juvenile Department for
greater results, opportunity for
program expansion, and charting a
solid course for the Department’s
sustainability. The better choices
we’re making together reflect the
same balanced approach that has
allowed Dallas County to emerge
from the national recession stronger
than other Counties. As a result,
the Dallas County Juvenile
Department has taken a balanced
approach of continuing to look for
areas where reduction is
appropriate while simultaneously
making targeted strategic
investments in our operations, institutions, and people.
The Department has continued to
adhere to the core concepts of
the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s
Juvenile Detention Alternative
Initiative while balancing the
responsibility of continuing our
progress in Juvenile Justice Reform
while simultaneously ensuring the
safety of the community. With a
new JDAI coordinator who brings
fresh eyes and a fresh perspective
which enable us to continue our
role as a JDAI leader!
The FY2014 Budget request reflects
a collection of modest requests
that together include replacement
of severely damaged and aged
equipment, an increase in the
mileage reimbursement request
which is the result of having more
youth in the community rather than
in a facility, a slight increase in our
contract with UT Southwestern, and
for personnel to keep us compliant
with our regulatory body, the Texas
Juvenile Justice Department. This
years budget request
demonstrates our continual effort
to remain good stewards of the
public’s resources.
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Expenditure
FY 2012
Actual
FY 2013
Appropriation
FY 2014
Proposed
Change from
FY 13
General Fund 44,271,289 45,590,458 47,160,237 1,569,779
State Aid 10,790,746 10,790,746 10,790,746 0
AEC Foundation 15,000 15,000 15,000 0
Gov. Office 483,123 483,123 483,123 0
Educational Aid 8,955,146 10,309,086 8,596,469 (1,712,617)
Total 64,515,304 67,188,413 67,045,575 (142,838)
Dallas County Juvenile Department
Three Year Summary
FY 2014
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Dallas County Juvenile Department
Three Year Summary
FY 2014
FTE
FY 2012
Actual
FY 2013
Appropriation
FY 2014
Proposed Change from FY
13
Full Time 939 948 948 0
Part Time 160 149 149 0
Total 1,099 1,097 1,097 0
The magic formula that successful businesses have
discovered is to treat customers like guests and
employees like people.
Tom Peters
“The World’s Quality Guru”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This FY 2014 budget proposal reflects the Dallas County Juvenile Department’s
balanced approach to moving the Department forward and benefiting from the
Dallas County Commissioner’s and the Dallas County Administration’s stellar
fiscal stewardship which allows us to make needed investments within the Dallas
County Juvenile Department’s operations, institutions, and employees. Most
important, it allows to better serve our youth as we put YOUTH FIRST!
The process that results in the Department’s budget submission is an arduous one
at times, made even more difficult in challenging times. This effort would not be
possible without the expertise, commitment to excellence, and the hard work of
the Department’s Executive and Fiscal staff!
The individuals listed below worked especially hard to analyze budgets for their
respective cost centers to include in this years budget proposal. Their dedication,
professionalism, and continued collegiality is deeply appreciated.
Dr. Terry S. Smith Executive Director/Chief Juvenile Probation Officer
John A. Heath
Assistant Executive Director
Kima Letcher Rhonda Freeman
Ronald Waddleton Marta Ballesté
Barbara Bowser Claudia Lopez
Felicia Requena
Editor and Cover Design John A. Heath
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