CHILDREN AT RISK’s 2011 Juvenile Justice Summer Institute is successfully underway! Generously funded by the Texas Bar Foundation, the Institute provides a fellowship for six law fellows from law schools throughout the country to join CHILDREN AT RISK in researching the state of juvenile justice in Texas. The fellows participate in site visits to juvenile justice facilities statewide to learn firsthand about the services provided to youth in their care. Their research will culminate in a publication this fall which will serve as a resource for judges, attorneys, political officials, and service providers who have a vested interest in the well-being of Texas’ juvenile offenders.
The Institute also provided a series of continuing legal education (CLE) seminars in Houston, Austin, and Dallas. On June 14th, attendees in Houston heard from speakers Terrance Windham, Chief of the Juvenile Division at the Harris County District Attorney’s office, and Stacy Rhodes, Program Manager for the Youthful Offender Program, to learn about the certification process and treatment of youth who are certified to stand trial as adults. On June 15th, Deborah Fowler, Deputy Director of Texas Appleseed, and James Smith, Director of Youth Services for the Texas Youth Commission, spoke in Austin about the legislative session’s impact on juvenile justice reform and the significance of the TYC and TJPC merger. The series concluded on June 21st in Dallas, where Judge Gracie Lewis, Judge for Criminal District Court #3, and Diane Boyd, Supervisor for the Dallas County Juvenile Department, spoke about the issues facing Texas’ youthful offenders with mental illness. Each of the CLE seminars were hosted by the law offices of Vinson & Elkins, and CHILDREN AT RISK is greatly appreciative of their support!
CHILDREN AT RISK would like to thank the Texas Bar Foundation for funding the 2011 Juvenile Justice Summer Institute. The invaluable experience gained by the law fellows, community education events, and the publication will result in greater awareness to bring positive change to ensure that our state’s youthful offenders are not forgotten.