Primary Department: Juvenile Probation
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Henry Gonzales
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: Choose an item.
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval to utilize general funds, special funds, and grant funds to support incentives and field trips for justice involved youth, and approval for a limited exemption to permit the use of the P-Card for expenses not typically allowable (excluding gift cards) but including certain entertainment-related costs when such expenditures are directly related to youth programming at a cost to the county of $100,000.
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Background and Discussion:
These activities are exclusively for participating youth; any employee expenses incurred are solely for staff assigned to supervise and ensure the safety of youth during approved activities.
Opportunity Based Probation (OBP) is an evidence-based supervision model grounded in the science of adolescent development. Research demonstrates that youth are more responsive to positive reinforcement than punishment, are still developing decision making and emotional regulation skills, and are strongly influenced by their environment and family systems. OBP aligns probation practices with these developmental factors by emphasizing structural goal setting, incentives, and positive recognition to promote accountability and long-term behavior change.
Under OBP, probation staff, youth, and caregivers collaboratively develop individualized case plans with clearly defined, short term goals. As youth meet expectations and complete milestones, they earn points that may be redeemed for incentives such as gift cards, educational field trips, and other prosocial enrichment activities. This approach reinforces positive behavior, strengthens family engagement, builds skills related to goal achievement and responsibility, and supports positive youth identity development.
Incentives and field trips are recognized as best practices in juvenile specialty courts and long-term residential programming. These tools have been shown to reduce probation violations, increase engagement in services, enhance pro-social skill development, and decrease further involvement in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Field trips also expand youth exposure to positive community opportunities and reinforce learning in real-world settings.
These incentives and field trips will support justice-involved youth participating in programs administered by the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, including, Residential, Youth Health and Community Based Supervision, and Court involved Youth Services Programs. Several of these programs involve extended lengths of supervision of up twelve months or more, making incentives an essential tool for reinforcing sustained positive behavior and program engagement.
The use of incentives and field trips directly supports HCJPD’s rehabilitative mission, aligns with nationally recognized juvenile justice best practices, and enhances the effectiveness of supervision and treatment interventions. These activities are purposeful components of behavior modification and youth development strategies.
Expected Impact:
The use of incentives and field trips is expected to improve youth engagement, compliance, and overall program outcomes across HCJPD supervision and residential programs. By reinforcing positive behavior and achievement, these strategies are anticipated to reduce probation violations, limit the use of sanctions and secure confinement, and decrease the likelihood of continued involvement in the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. Incentives and enrichment activities will also strengthen youths’ goal setting, decision-making, and life skills; increase family engagement; and deepen connections to pro-social community resources. Collectively, these outcomes support safer communities, more effective use of County resources, and improved long-term success for justice-involved youth served by the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department. Some of these field trips and enrichment activities include Stages Theater Productions, Arttechouse Houston, graduation dinner outings, sporting events, Houston Zoo visits, NASA Space Center visits, etc. The expected annual expense for these incentives is expected to be approximately $100,000.00
Alternative Options:
An alternative option is to continue probation and residential programming without the use of incentives and field trips, relying solely on traditional supervision and sanction-based responses to address youth behavior. This would limit HCJPD’s ability to implement evidence-based, developmentally appropriate practices such as Opportunity-Based Probation. The absence of incentives would likely reduce youth engagement and motivation, increase probation violations and behavioral incidents, and require greater reliance on restrictive interventions, including extended lengths of stay or secure placements.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: B: Reduce criminal legal system exposure that does not advance public safety.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B3: Increase school-based juvenile justice diversion and other interventions.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Location:
Address (if applicable): 1200 Congress, Houston, Texas 77002
Precinct(s): Countywide
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$100,000.00 |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
Click or tap to enter a date. |
Anticipated Court Date: 10/15/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Kelly Barron, Special Projects Coordinator, Juvenile Probation Department
Attachments (if applicable):