By Harris S.C.R. No. 22 74R3435 SMC-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Juvenile arrest rates have been rising since 1988 1-2 and, as a result, Texas Youth Commission facilities have become 1-3 crowded and juvenile probation officer caseloads approach 100 1-4 youths per officer; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Young probationers in Texas receive a wide range of 1-6 supervision and interventions; some require only minimal 1-7 supervision while others need the extra structure of intensive 1-8 supervision programs and boot camps, which serve as positive 1-9 alternatives to commitment to the Texas Youth Commission; and 1-10 WHEREAS, Juvenile boot camps target the serious, chronic 1-11 offender and, along with intensive efforts to educate and 1-12 rehabilitate young offenders, public protection is a main focus of 1-13 these programs; and 1-14 WHEREAS, The El Paso Juvenile Probation Department was the 1-15 first juvenile probation department in the nation to develop and 1-16 operate a juvenile boot camp, called Challenge, with the goals of 1-17 protecting public safety while providing violent and habitual 1-18 adjudicated juveniles with alternatives through a community-based 1-19 correctional program; and 1-20 WHEREAS, Following the success of the El Paso model, the 1-21 McLennan County Juvenile Services Department initiated its own boot 1-22 camp called CORPS, a military-style program where repeat offenders 1-23 are offered one final opportunity to change their behavior with a 1-24 strong focus on building self-discipline, self-esteem, and good 2-1 study habits; and 2-2 WHEREAS, El Paso's Challenge, McLennan County's CORPS, and 2-3 similar programs have had considerable success in reducing 2-4 recidivism by showing young offenders what prison life is like 2-5 before an offender's criminal record is serious enough to lead to 2-6 an adult facility; boot camps, "shock" programs, and 2-7 early-intervention programs such as these are likely to stop the 2-8 pattern of young offenders headed for a future of crime; and 2-9 WHEREAS, A large percentage of juvenile crime is committed in 2-10 urban areas and the location of boot camps near these cities would 2-11 facilitate the youth's transition back into the community; now, 2-12 therefore, be it 2-13 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-14 hereby encourage the Texas Youth Commission to increase the usage 2-15 of boot camps for juvenile offenders and to locate the facilities 2-16 in close proximity to the large urban areas of our state; and, be 2-17 it further 2-18 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-19 copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas 2-20 Youth Commission.