MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON GANGS AND JUVENILE JUSTICE
Thursday, November 6, 1997
9:00 a.m.
Dallas County Commissioners Court
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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on
Gangs and Juvenile Justice was held on Thursday, November
6, 1997 in the Dallas County Commissioners Court, in
Dallas, Texas.
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MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Royce West
Senator Moncrief
Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Chris Harris
Senator Jon Lindsay
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The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was
transacted.
Senator West offered the committee minutes from the October
2nd, committee hearing. Senator Duncan moved adoption of
the minutes. There being no objection, the motion
prevailed.
Senators West, Lindsay, Duncan, Harris and Moncrief made
opening remarks.
The following witnesses testified before the committee:
Chief Ben E. Click, Chief of the Dallas Police
Department--Chief Click gave an overview of the Dallas gang
problem. Chief Click recommended: 1.) a statewide
definition for a gang member; 2.) sentence enhancement for
violent or property crimes, possession of a firearm,
committing a crime within 1000 feet of a school; 3.)
enhancement to a Class A Misdemeanor for the recruitment of
a gang member; 4.) forfeiture of a vehicle that was used
in a drive by shooting; 5.) give school districts the
authority to deal with gang members; 6.) place a code on
the record of an individual that would identify that the
particular individual has committed a gang related crime;
7.) give the local police department notice when a gang
member is released from jail; 8) create a gang prosecutor;
9) create more effective prevention and intervention
programs.
Judge Thomas G. Jones, Justice of the Peace-Precinct 7,
Dallas--Judge Jones stated that he has seen his truancy
cases rising in the past few years. Judge Thomas stated
that he believed that truancy is a good indicator that
there are problems at school as well as home, which could
in turn lead to gang activity. Judge Jones recommended: 1)
before and after school programs; and 2) a collaborative
effort between schools and Justices of the Peace.
Student Advisory Committee--Christina Woodard spoke about
the failures of the programs in the school system. She
also spoke about what is needed to help students stay out
of gangs. Marcus Brown spoke about the need for character
building classes in the school system, preferably beginning
with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children. Jou Jou
Hanna spoke about the need for a place for students to go
after school and on the weekends, ie. neighborhood
recreation centers. Aleesha Pinnock spoke about the need
for peer mentoring programs in the school system. Karecia
Burklay stressed the need for parental involvement classes.
The classes should involve parents as well as children.
Ed Daniels and Stan Ferguson, Ft. Worth Police
Department-Sergeant Daniels and Stan Ferguson addressed law
enforcement needs to help combat the gang problem. They
recommended: 1.) a uniformed definition of a gang member;
2.) increased funding for prevention and intervention
programs; 3.) an offense allowing co-conspirator testimony
to prosecute a perpetrator; 4.) enact a statute that makes
membership by a juvenile in a gang an offense of delinquent
conduct; 5.) prohibit the transfer of weapons within city
limits; 5.) maintain gang intelligence information for more
than 2 years (keep intelligence for at least 5 years).
Gary Arey, Assistant District Attorney Dallas County--Mr.
Arey spoke about: 1.) the use of guns in commission of
crimes; 2.) the relationship between gangs and the
commission of capital murder; and 3.) the Boston project.
Mr. Arey recommendation's were: 1.) statutory confinement
of six months for all juveniles who posses firearms; 2.)
increase the progressive sanctions penalty for possession
of a firearm to a level five or six; 3.) enhance the
penalty for membership in a gang; 4.) create educational
courses to teach students the dangers of firearms; 5.) an
overall use of enhancements to deter juveniles from joining
and continuing to be members of a gang.
Terry Barlow, Tarrant County District Attorney--Mr. Barlow
spoke about parental responsibility and the need to
identify at-risk youth. Mr. Barlow recommended: 1.) the
committee look at the Boston project; 2.) enacting a
statute that makes it a crime to carry a weapon in the
passenger compartment of a car.
Carey Cockerell, Director, Tarrant County Juvenile
Services--Mr. Cockerell spoke about the type of referrals
Tarrant County Juvenile Services are receiving. Mr.
Cockerell stated that referrals have gone up in general,
but violent crime referrals have gone down. His rationale
for the decrease in violent crime referrals was: 1.) the
"Coming Up Program"; 2.) the automated gang information
system; and 3.) Community-based programs (ie. the Buffalo
Soldier Program). Mr. Cockerell's recommendations
included: 1.) increased funding for all staffing levels;
2.) use of programs like the "Wrap Around Program" which
uses community-based citizens as mentors. These types of
programs should be allowed to use the monies they receive
to customize their outreach to their specific needs.
Mike Griffiths, Dallas County Juvenile Department; Vicki
Spriggs, Director of the Juvenile Probation Commission;
Thomas Chapmond, Department of Protective and Regulator
Services; Danny Meek, Collin County Juvenile Probation
Services--all spoke about a collaborative effort regarding
"Wrap Around Services". The parties would like to see the
pooling of funds for a collaborative effort between the
Juvenile Probation Commission and the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services. Mr. Griffiths
recommended that any system the committee ultimately
recommends be community-based.
Judge Cheryl Lee Shannon, Dallas County Juvenile Court
Judge, 305th District Court--Judge Shannon spoke about: 1.)
the need to identify at-risk youth as early as possible;
2.) the need for prevention and intervention programs.
Judge Shannon recommended that the committee look at
programs that are working across the state in order to
replicate them on a broader scale.
Gracie Stearns and Patsy Steele, Tarrant County Community
Youth Development Directors for the 76106 zip code--Ms.
Stearns and Ms. Steele stated the key to the success of
their program was: 1.) collaboration; 2.) community
involvement; and 3.) team work.
Libbie Lee, Dallas County Community Youth Development
Director for the 75216 zip code--Ms. Lee gave an overview
of the programs she provides in her area. Ms. Lee also
gave examples of the successes her CYD program has seen.
Pam Johnson, Director Grayson County Juvenile Alternatives,
STARS program--Ms. Johnson gave an overview of the Grayson
County Juvenile Alternatives program. Examples included:
1.) mentoring programs; 2.) support systems; 3.) special
events; 4.) "Challenge" (a day long activity program).
Lee Schimmel, Promise House/ STARS contractor--Ms. Schimmel
gave an overview of what services Promise House provides to
at risk youth. Ms. Schimmel recommended the use of Family
Impact Centers. Family Impact Centers are a collaboration
between school districts, nonprofit organizations, and
local businesses to help meet the needs of the community.
Cindy Honey, Bridge Emergency Youth Services, STARS
contractor--Ms. Honey gave an overview of what services she
provides to at risk youth.
Russell Brammer, City Service Program/City of Plano, STARS
contractor--Mr. Brammer gave an overview of the services he
provides for at risk youth. He recommended that STARS
contractors work with corporations to raise additional
funds.
Elise Douglas, Family Haven/Sulphur Springs, STARS
contractor--Ms. Davis gave an overview of the type of
services they provide to at risk youth.
Jeff Roberts, Family Services/Ft. Worth, STARS
contractor--Mr. Roberts gave an overview of the services
his program provides to at risk youth.
Joyce Strickland, Director of Mothers Against Teen
Violence, Project 2001--Ms. Strickland described project
2001. She stated that the Project is funded through the
Governor's office.
Amon Rashidi, Project JAMS, Nonprofit Community-based
Program--Mr. Rashidi gave an overview of Project JAMS and
what the state needs to look at to solve the gang problem.
Juan Cantu, Jobs for Progress/ Gilbert Garcia Learning
Center, Ft. Worth--Mr. Cantu gave an overview of the
Gilbert Garcia Learning Center. Mr. Cantu also spoke
about the problem of over- crowding in the present school
system and the need for school districts to subcontract
with entities such as Gilbert Garcia Learning Center. Mr.
Garcia stated that three factors will mold the face of
Texas: 1.) the economy; 2.) the technological advancements;
and 3.) the increased diversity of the state.
J.E. Neel, Jet Teaching--Mr. Neal gave an overview of his
program for at risk youth.
Charles Eldridge, Rainbow Days--Mr. Eldridge gave an
overview of the Rainbow Days Program for at-risk youth.
Mr. Eldridge stated that the hours right after school has
ended are the hours in which children display their most
destructive behavior.
Sal Ochoa, National Commission on Gang Violence/
Washington, D.C.--Mr. Ochoa recommended developing an
aggressive outreach program for at-risk youth. He also
recommended the use of community prevention/intervention
and mediation services for children at an early age.
Robert Pitre, Pitre Vision--Mr. Pitre stated the keys to
helping at-risk youth are: 1.) citizens getting involved
with their communities; 2.) parental involvement; and 3.)
prevention programs.
Vicki Mann--Ms. Mann spoke about the gas blaster/toluene
products and other inhalants used by gang members.
Joe Yanez, Director of Beat on Life/Gang Intervention
Program--Mr. Yanez gave his opinion on the programs he
believed worked. Mr. Yanez believed that providing
children with skills and education as well as behavior
modification is the best way to help at-risk youth.
Larry Mercer, Administrator, Buckner Children & Family
Services/Dallas--Mr. Mercer recommended the creation of the
Texas Youth Success commission. He recommended identifying
the risk factors and children at-risk in order to solve the
gang problem in the state of Texas. He also recommended
the use of tax incentives to induce businesses to help
solve the gang problem.
Judy Briscoe, Deputy director of the Texas Youth
Commission--Ms. Briscoe gave an update on the monitoring of
progressive sanctions. Ms. Briscoe stated that TYC would
have the data on how many new commitments were deviations
from program sanctions before the next hearing, but it
appears the percentage may be as high as 60%. Last month
TYC received 343 new commitments the highest number for one
month.
Written testimony was submitted by the following persons:
Joe Cordova, Safe Haven
Maria Adams, Parents Against Crime and Drugs
Rebecca Gonzalez, Parents Against Crime and Drugs
The committee recessed at 4:15
Respectfully submitted,
Janna Burleson, Committee Director
Royce West, Chairman