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Our mission is to improve
the lives of Texas children by
building commitment and
action for improved publicpolicy and programs.
Issue areas:
Family Financial Security Juvenile Justice Childrens Mental Wellbeing Child and Maternal Health Child Welfare
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So what happened?
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HB 1/SB 1
The state appropriations bill for FY 2012-2013
was the most critical piece of legislation in the
session, impacting services and supports
across systems and agencies.
The State Budget:
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Juvenile Justice
Budget CutsTexas Youth
Commission
Budget cut by 26%
($117million)
Closed 3 secure
facilities
Merged two more
facilities
Texas JuvenileProbation
Commission
Budget cut
by2%($7 million)
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KEY
Neutral Good Bill
Bad
Bill
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Juvenile Justice
SB 653 by Whitmire Sunset bill
Structure: merger of TYC and TJPC into new Texas Juvenile JusticeDepartment
Purpose: create a continuum of effective services, prioritizing
community based programs
Goals: support a county-based system that reduces the need for out-of-home placement and uses secure facilities sized for effective
rehabilitation
New Responsibility: delinquency prevention/intervention
Texas Restructured and Fiscally Realigned
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Youth in the Adult Justice System
New Laws
Extend juvenile probation
age
Juvenile detention for
certified youth
Adult certification if charge
increased
Failed to Pass
Determinate sentence age
in TYC
Limiting adult certificationoffenses
Housing certified youth in
youth facilities until adult
Retroactive removal ofjuvenile life without
parole
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New Laws Regarding Court Involvement
Allow payment of fines in
installments, through community
service
Allow payment of fines through
tutoring/community service
Lower age for automatic record
sealing
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School Discipline
Eliminate tickets at school for 6th
grade and younger Eliminate truancy tickets for ages
10-11 and 18-21
New Measures to Address Ticketing
Failed to Pass:
Eliminate ticketing for
misbehavior at school
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School Responses to Children
Became Law
School resource officer reporting of use ofrestraints
Failed to Pass
School plans for addressing disproportionate
disciplinary referral
Reporting of tickets, restraints and force
New Transparency for School Discipline
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School Discipline
Parent notification for DAEP
placement
Defines serious and persistentmisbehavior, a category that
allows for DAEP expulsion
New Laws on Removal from Classroom & Expulsion
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School Responses to Children
Supports for schools implementing
PBIS school-wide
Missed Opportunities:
Youth-focused training for schoolpolice
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What should we do now? Support the implementation of statewide, school-wide Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports
Prioritize delinquency prevention.
Eliminate school ticketing.
Eliminate DAEP referrals for elementary school children.
Require school districts that over refer specific populations of students todevelop and implement a plan to fix the problem.
Limit police presence in schools and require that any officers in schools
are trained to work with kids.
Keep youth out of adult facilities.
Ensure that youth in county and state care are safe and have the services
they need to be successful outside the system.
Ensure reforms happen in practice not just on paper.
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But what can Ido?
Volunteer at juvenile justice facilities in your community.
Visit, call or write a letter to your legislators now to let them
know about the issues you are seeing in your community.
Testify at hearings to let your policymakers know what is orisnt working in your community.
Visit, call or write letters to your legislator during the legislative
session to let them know how you feel about proposed
policies.
Sign up for alerts to stay informed of issues and opportunities.
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Why Me?
You are an EXPERT in your community and in
your experience.
You are a constituent.
You are a Texan who cares.
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But WhatWould I Say?
Introduce your expertise
State the problem that you see
State the change you would like to see happen
Ask for action
Provide background information
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But Really, What Would I Say?
SAMPLE
Introduce your expertise:
I am NAME, a constituent in your district and someone who volunteers with youth in my community.
State the problem that you see:
At SCHOOL where I volunteer, children who should be redirected when misbehaving are instead receivingtickets. One child I work with was even given a ticket for X.
State the change you would like to see
School should be a place where we help kids succeed, not a place where we funnel them into the criminal
justice system.
Ask
Will you support legislation that prohibits school ticketing for misbehavior?
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Will anyone listen to me?
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Eileen [email protected]
512-473-2274
www.texanscareforchildren.org
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JUVENILE JUSTICE
Lauren Rose: [email protected]
CHILDRENS MENTALWELL BEING
Josette Saxton: [email protected]
CHILD & MATERNAL HEALTH
Lauren Dimitry: [email protected]
CHILD PROTECTION
Ashley Harris: [email protected]