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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
The opening slide show to the Fiscal Year 2000 Annual Report is symbolic of the progress that has been made in Williamson County and the rest of the country in the Reinventing Probation initiative during the past few years. From the old
jail (also pictured on the CD-Rom jacket) that was built in the late 1800's and is still in use by the
department for offices and storage, to the newly constructed Williamson County Annex in Taylor opened last year, we have combined the old with the new to provide a wide array of services to promote public safety and offender rehabilitation. But "bricks and mortar" is not what probation is about, it is the actual programs, staff dedication and commitment to excellence that is changing the face of probation for the better.
During Fiscal Year 2000, the department formed a "Probation Enhancement" Committee that was charged with the task of reviewing the current information on the Reinventing Probation initiative, examining the way that we operate, and finding better ways to supervise offenders while also maintaining public and staff safety. Many positive changes were made as a result of the work of the committee, mindful of the strong foundation that had been built during the previous years. As we took a critical look at ourselves, we discovered that we were doing many things well, were providing the necessary services to offenders, and being held accountable to the public. But we felt we could do better. One of the main points of the national Reinventing Probation Committee in their reports:
Transforming Probation Through Leadership: The ‘Broken Windows' Model(2000) and
Broken Windows
Probation: The Next Step in Fighting Crime (1999) was that probation officers spend too much time in the office. Although hundreds of field contacts are made each year, many times officers visit homes at times when no one is there to meet them. In order to change this, the committee recommended that officers work in the field at least one weekend day per month, and one evening per month. This has resulted in more field contacts, and notice to offenders that they are not just on probation 8 to 5 during the work week.
Another commitment by the department is the recognition of the importance of working with offenders thinking errors. It has been proven through many studies that cognitive counseling programs are more effective than most other programs in reducing criminal behavior. The What Works movement in corrections challenges agencies to concentrate on programs that are effective, proven to change criminal behavior, and make offenders accept responsibility for their own actions. This approach has been adopted by the department in its substance abuse treatment facility program, the Central Texas Treatment Center and for a variety of other offenders in its core services programs.
ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
PUBLIC SAFETY
The CSCD staff's commitment to the community and the offenders has resulted in a reduction in the offender revocation rate for the past three years. The continued use of sanctions and programs for offenders in lieu of incarceration has not affected the public safety, as only 36 of the probation offenders sentenced to prison in Fiscal Year 2000 were convicted of a criminal offense while under supervision.
DEPARTMENT COLLECTIONS
| Total Collected: |
$4.2 million in court ordered fees |
| Restitution returned to Crime Victims |
$588,230 |
| Fines and Court Costs |
$1,955,601 |
| Probation Supervision Fees |
$1,581,072 |
(Offenders participating in the costs
of their supervision) |
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PRE-TRIAL RELEASE
There were 295 felony offenders released from jail to the supervision of the department's Pre-Trial Services division. This resulted in savings of at least $1.5 million to Williamson County taxpayers in incarceration costs alone, not to mention the money saved in court appointed fees. This program had a bond forfeiture rate of less than 2%, far below the national average.
COMMUNITY SERVICE RESTITUTION
Through the department's Community Service Restitution programs, offenders performed over 166,000 hours of non paid work for the public. Park and road cleanup, construction projects, landscaping assistance, and a myriad of other projects were performed for Williamson County, local school districts, non profit organizations, and area municipalities.
This report also contains valuable information on specialized caseloads, core services, victim impact panels, and other services and programs operated by the department. This report demonstrates that the department has lived up to its mission: protecting the community, providing effective programs and sentencing alternatives, providing an atmosphere and opportunity to facilitate positive changes in offenders, enforcing the orders of the courts in a fair and equitable manner, and maintaining and improving professional liaisons with other law enforcement and social service agencies.
Special thanks to Leroy Barriga, Special Projects Coordinator, for his work in compiling this report, and placing it in its present form for distribution on the internet and CD-Rom.
Rick Zinsmeyer
CSCD Director
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