1-1 By: Ramsay (Senate Sponsor - Staples) H.C.R. No. 254 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal 1-4 Justice; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 1; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, The traditional response to instances of criminal 1-8 behavior has been to subject the offender to a variety of 1-9 sanctions, including adjudication, probation, detention, and 1-10 incarceration; while these approaches may also serve as a deterrent 1-11 to future crime, they generally respond to criminal behavior after 1-12 the fact and do little to break the vicious cycle of crime; and 1-13 WHEREAS, The state's growing prison population, including an 1-14 increasing number of new commitments to Texas Youth Commission 1-15 facilities, and the rising costs associated with serving those 1-16 populations under state supervision, have heightened awareness of 1-17 the need to explore alternative, less costly, but effective 1-18 approaches, such as prevention and early intervention services that 1-19 aim to divert certain youth away from criminal activity; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In its interim report to the 77th Legislature, the 1-21 House Committee on County Affairs illustrated the value of such an 1-22 approach in its finding that a majority of the youth who have 1-23 received early intervention services through the Department of 1-24 Protective and Regulatory Services have experienced positive 1-25 outcomes such as increases in TAAS test scores; and 1-26 WHEREAS, The cost of failing to provide appropriate 1-27 interventions may be inferred from research by the National 1-28 Institute of Justice indicating that abused and neglected children 1-29 are 53 percent more likely to be arrested as juveniles and 38 1-30 percent more likely to be arrested as adults when compared to 1-31 children who have not been abused or neglected; and 1-32 WHEREAS, The committee mindfully acknowledges the interim 1-33 testimony given by witnesses that expressed frustration with the 1-34 lack of coordination between state and local government entities 1-35 and community-based service organizations in delivering prevention 1-36 and early intervention services, with 17 state agencies providing 1-37 funding for at least 34 at-risk programs; and 1-38 WHEREAS, The legislature has duly recognized the important 1-39 role that prevention and early intervention services play in 1-40 targeting at-risk behaviors and other factors that lead to child 1-41 abuse, drug use, delinquency, running away, truancy, and dropping 1-42 out of school; and 1-43 WHEREAS, In 1999, legislation was enacted that created the 1-44 prevention and early intervention services division within the 1-45 department to consolidate the programs and services that target 1-46 children and their families who are susceptible to at-risk 1-47 behaviors; and 1-48 WHEREAS, The consolidation of prevention and early 1-49 intervention services within the jurisdiction of a single state 1-50 agency will help deliver a unified system of services that local 1-51 entities can use to meet the specific, individual needs of an 1-52 at-risk child and, at the same time, maximize federal, state, and 1-53 local resources; and 1-54 WHEREAS, In keeping with its interim charge to study the 1-55 coordination of services for at-risk youth at the local level, the 1-56 House Committee on County Affairs recommends in its report to the 1-57 77th Legislature that additional efforts be made in nonurban areas 1-58 to build a comprehensive and cohesive system for delivering 1-59 prevention and early intervention services to youth at risk of 1-60 future criminality; now, therefore, be it 1-61 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-62 hereby direct the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, 1-63 in conjunction with the United Ways of Texas, to coordinate all 1-64 appropriate state agency resources with those of interested 2-1 community groups in Hunt, Gray, Duval, Wichita, Titus, Williamson, 2-2 and Blanco counties, to assess the needs of those communities and 2-3 to ensure a continuum of prevention and early intervention services 2-4 to youth who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system; 2-5 and, be it further 2-6 RESOLVED, That in developing plans to provide such services 2-7 in nonurban areas, the department seek partnerships with the Texas 2-8 Municipal League, the Texas Association of Counties, Texas A&M 2-9 Agriculture Extension offices, the Texas Youth Commission, the 2-10 Councils of Governments in those areas, the criminal justice 2-11 division and the Texas Commission on Volunteerism and Community 2-12 Service in the Office of the Governor, the Justices of the Peace 2-13 and Constables Association, and faith-based groups in the local 2-14 communities as well as local youth; and, be it further 2-15 RESOLVED, That the department submit a full report of its 2-16 findings and recommendations to the Office of the Governor, and to 2-17 the 78th Texas Legislature before it convenes in January 2003; and, 2-18 be it further 2-19 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-20 copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Department 2-21 of Protective and Regulatory Services and to the chair of the Board 2-22 of Protective and Regulatory Services. 2-23 * * * * *