Primary Department: District Attorney
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Sean Teare, District Attorney
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
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):
title
Request for approval to consolidate Fund 2231 and Fund 2261 to create one diversion related fund for use by the department.
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Background and Discussion:
Article 102.0121 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure authorizes a district attorney’s office to collect a fee in an amount not to exceed $500.00 to be used to reimburse a county for expenses related to a defendant’s participation in a pretrial intervention program. Harris County designated Fund 2261 as the DA Diversion Programs fund. The District Attorney’s Office operates multiple diversion and pretrial intervention programs. Fund 2261 is currently utilized to pay for the expenses related to defendants’ participation in the programs.
On September 23, 2014, Commissioners Court authorized the creation of Fund 2231, the DA First Chance Intervention Program. Participants are required to pay $100.00, which would be placed in Fund 2231, to cover the tuition for a cognitive skills class. Additional funds were to pay for participants who were deemed indigent. The revenue in Fund 2231 was to pay for the costs of operating the DA First Chance Intervention Program.
Fund 2231 is seldom utilized and has received only interest revenue since FY2020. While the First Change Intervention Program continues, the revenues and expenditures have been directed to Fund 2261 since FY2020.
The District Attorney’s Office operates multiple diversion and pretrial intervention programs. It is requested for the two diversion related funds to be consolidated into one fund, Fund 2261. The funding currently in Fund 2231 would be transferred into Fund 2261 to be used for all diversion and pretrial related programs operated by the District Attorney’s Office. Revenue generated from the First Chance Intervention Program would go into Fund 2261. All other aspects of the First Chance Intervention Program would be unchanged with this request.
Expected Impact:
The District Attorney’s Office will be able to better utilize and manage funding for all of the pretrial intervention and diversion programs. There is no fiscal impact with this request.
Alternative Options:
The funds could remain as they are now.
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): B4: Increase the jail deflection and diversion rate.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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9/23/2014 |
16 |
Creation of Fund 2231 for First Chance Intervention Program |
Location: 1201 Franklin St., Houston, TX 77002
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Precinct 1
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Anticipated Court Date: 3/27/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Trevor Smith, Director of Finance, District Attorney’s Office
Attachments (if applicable): Court Letter for First Chance Intervention Fund.pdf