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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to |
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recognize the directors and employees of the Community Supervision |
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and Corrections Department (CSCD) for their outstanding service to |
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the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, With locations throughout Texas, the CSCD is |
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responsible for providing community supervision or adult probation |
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services to hundreds of thousands of individuals, and it offers |
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numerous programs that are designed to change individual behavior |
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and help protect the community; and |
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WHEREAS, The agency's directors, along with their teams, |
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tirelessly manage all aspects of the adult probation departments |
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within their jurisdictions, aim to improve lives through the use of |
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best practices, and encourage individuals assigned to community |
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supervision to take positive steps toward enhancing their quality |
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of life; and |
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WHEREAS, The committed individuals who have contributed |
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immeasurably to the successful reintegration of formerly |
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incarcerated individuals into the community include: Paul Becker, |
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director of Harris County CSCD; Stephen L. Enders, director of |
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West Texas CSCD; George Hernandez, director of Caldwell County |
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CSCD; Steven T. Henderson, director of Lubbock/Crosby Counties |
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CSCD; Leighton Iles, director of Fort Bend County CSCD; Todd |
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Jermstad, interim director of Bell County CSCD; Dr. Geraldine Nagy, |
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director of Travis County CSCD; Dr. Michael E. Noyes, director of |
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Dallas County CSCD; Tom Plumlee, director of Tarrant County CSCD; |
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Jim Stott, director of Jefferson County CSCD; and Rodney J. |
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Thompson, director of Angelina County CSCD, as well as many other |
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caring and hardworking employees; and |
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WHEREAS, Paul Becker has worked diligently with state |
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legislators to advocate for stronger probation departments on |
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behalf of the entire field of community corrections; Mr. Becker has |
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also made much-needed improvements to the Harris County CSCD with |
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his knowledge of treatment programs and team building; and |
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WHEREAS, Stephen L. Enders has brought progressive and |
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innovative programming to adult probation in El Paso for more than |
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35 years; he has implemented and administered many smart-on-crime |
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community corrections programs in the area, including an adult |
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probation learning center, a treatment alternative to |
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incarceration program, and victim services; moreover, Mr. Enders |
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has presented fresh, evidence-based ways of management, and he is |
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the chair of the Probation Advisory Committee (PAC) and a member of |
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the Texas Probation Association (TPA) and the Texas Corrections |
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Association; and |
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WHEREAS, George Hernandez is retiring at the end of August |
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2009, after a long and admirable career marked by dedication and |
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service to community corrections; he has devoted numerous hours as |
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an advocate for recruiting and retaining quality officers, and he |
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has passionately represented the interests of the Central Texas |
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regional chiefs as a member of the Probation Advisory Committee and |
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as the current co-chair of the TPA Adult Legislative Committee; and |
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WHEREAS, Steven T. Henderson has contributed to the field of |
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community supervision for more than two decades with his impeccable |
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work ethic and extensive knowledge about those programs and |
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supervision strategies that have been proven beneficial to the |
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community; Mr. Henderson is a much sought-after resource, and he |
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consistently provides his staff with the tools and encouragement |
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they need to serve their clients effectively; and |
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WHEREAS, Leighton Iles is an invaluable resource for |
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legislators, probation directors, advocacy groups, and judges, |
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with over 20 years of experience in addressing substance abuse and |
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community supervision issues; recognized for his willingness to go |
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above and beyond what is expected of him, Mr. Iles was granted |
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membership on the TPA Adult Legislative Committee, and in October |
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2007, he was appointed to represent all 122 CSCD offices on the |
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Judicial Advisory Council; and |
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WHEREAS, Todd Jermstad shares his experience with |
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smart-on-crime criminal justice policies and his extensive |
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legislative knowledge with judges, probation directors, and such |
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advocacy groups as the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and the |
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Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation; |
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Mr. Jermstad's willingness to support the efforts of those who seek |
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his help is constant and unparalleled, and it has made him a trusted |
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and irreplaceable friend to many within the field of community |
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supervision; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Geraldine Nagy has worked with the Texas |
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Legislature during several sessions to improve community |
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corrections, and she genuinely understands the role of adult |
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probation departments in changing the lives of those placed under |
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supervision and in making the community safer; Dr. Nagy has |
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dedicated her outstanding career to researching and implementing |
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effective justice system practices in her current position and |
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through her former roles as deputy director for the Community |
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Justice Assistance Division of the Texas Department of Criminal |
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Justice and deputy director of Bastrop County CSCD; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Michael E. Noyes is a valuable asset to the |
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criminal justice system, and his implementation of evidence-based |
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best practices is improving the lives of many Texans; Mr. Noyes has |
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more than 20 years of experience in the administration of public and |
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private agencies that provide direct services to at-risk families, |
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delinquent and dependent youth, and adults within the community |
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corrections environment; along with his committed and |
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knowledgeable team, he has spent considerable time during this |
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session working with policy makers who are seeking smart-on-crime |
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approaches that increase public safety and use tax revenue |
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efficiently; and |
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WHEREAS, Tom Plumlee has gained the respect and admiration of |
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his peers by devoting his career to enhancing the lives of those |
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involved in the adult probation system; he has served as a CSCD |
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director for more than two decades in Amarillo and later Fort Worth, |
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and he has also worked as a probation officer for the Dallas County |
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Probation Department; and |
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WHEREAS, Jim Stott has been a leader in the field of adult |
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probation as a former president and co-chair of the TPA Adult |
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Legislative Committee; with his active participation and his |
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incredible dedication, he has helped his colleagues find solutions |
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to the problems facing community supervision, and he has remained a |
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strong advocate of community corrections; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1983, Rodney J. Thompson has proven his |
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commitment to strengthening community supervision in Texas, and he |
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continues to serve on the board of directors for TPA and as co-chair |
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of the TPA Adult Legislative Committee; Mr. Thompson was recognized |
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as the Supervisor of the Year for the Tarrant County CSCD in 2005, |
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and he has advocated for qualified staff and additional |
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smart-on-crime strategies that will target the root causes of |
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criminal behavior and address the needs of those suffering from |
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substance abuse; and |
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WHEREAS, The CSCD directors have made lasting contributions |
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to the areas they serve, and they have helped to strengthen the |
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Texas criminal justice system by reducing incarceration costs, |
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increasing public safety, and promoting independent and |
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responsible living; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor all employees of the Community Supervision |
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and Corrections Department for their notable public service, and |
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extend to them sincere appreciation for their dedication to the |
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criminal justice corrections community; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the CSCD directors as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |
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McReynolds |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2406 was adopted by the House on May |
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28, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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