HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Since 2017, nearly 15,000 cases in Harris County have been diverted away from the juvenile court system, according to data released by the county. This work has been executed through diversion programs throughout Houston.
For one young man, this type of intervention changed his life two years ago.
“It woke me up like I need to grow up a little faster than I was. I think I was just getting in trouble as early as I can remember. Just like lack of certain guidance. Always had my mom, but my father wasn’t around.”
The young man was led to Hope For Families, a not-for-profit organization in Third Ward that uses restorative justice practices.
Dr. D. Z. Cofield is senior pastor at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church and is Hope for Families President/CEO.
“We see young people committing adult like crimes, but they have childlike minds.”
Hope For Families is one of six diversion programs for youth in Harris County.
Kim Ogg, Harris County District Attorney said juvenile justice has present unique problems for criminal justice practitioners for decades.
“The police have been called. The kid has been cuffed. What do we do with them? Here’s the rub. These are young people. A few were charged with very serious offenses, but many are charged with less serious nonviolent crimes. The record they can pick up. We see in statistics, keep them in the system,” Ogg said. “Our prosecutors working with law enforcement make the decision in 63% of our overall cases to divert the youthful offender into one of these programs. And the other percentage, we are not diverting. By diverting young offenders out of our system and into some type of behavior modification and or treatment program, we get better results and that creates better public safety for everyone.”
Completion rate for these six diversion programs range from 71 percent to 91 percent. According to jail records, of the nearly 10,000 inmates in Harris County Jail, more than 200 of them are 18 and younger