Service List

The Jefferson County Justice System is to achieve public protection through control, rehabilitation, reintegration, and punishment of the offender.

A combined and cooperative effort of all criminal justice agencies and the community will enable the justice system to incorporate strategies for managing and sanctioning offenders.

An assessment of each individual offender's risk to the community and the harm the community suffered as a result of his/her criminal act will facilitate appropriate dispensation of justice. The act of sentencing will take into consideration the individual circumstance and culpability of the offender, and might include varying degrees of incapacitation, retribution to the community,  rehabilitation, and punishment or sanction.

Offender behavior will be directed by;

1. Clarifying the expectations and direction of the court,
2. Correcting such behavior as is inconsistent with expectations of the court and the community, and
3. Concluding the term of community supervision once the expectations of the court has been successfully met, or
4. Upon continued violation of the rules and orders of the court, incarceration may result.

Index of programs & services of the Jefferson County CSCD

Absconder Apprehension – When defendants fail to report to their CSO and they are not seen in the field or in the office for more than 90 days, they are considered to have absconded supervision.  It is still the responsibility of the department to maintain due diligence in attempting to locate that person.

Administrative Hearing – An informal hearing held with a defendant, the supervising CSO, and a CSCD supervisor to confront the defendant about violations of court orders, behavioral problems, etc.  The purpose is to get the offender to comply through persuasion or by making the realities of further sanctions known.

Anger Management Class – A series of classes in which offenders are taught skills to deal with anger appropriately instead of acting out inappropriately.

Cognitive/Behavioral Modification Program – There are a number of cognitive programs available that are designed to change the way offenders think and react.  The Jefferson County CSCD uses the “MRT” program from the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Corrections (NIC).  This program requires small group meetings to help offenders become more pro-social, be less impulsive, and to give them skills to “stop and think” about the potential consequences of their actions.

Community Service Restitution (CSR) – All defendants on probation are required to perform community service restitution in accordance with the level of their offense.  The Jefferson County CSCD employs staff members to coordinate the program, and maintains contracts with over 75 non-profit and governmental agencies where defendants perform CSR work.

Curfew – A restriction on the offender’s movements in the community in accordance with specified times of the day.  This usually involves the times when the offender must be at home, at work, or at a court-ordered program.  Compliance is determined by a face-to-face contact or by a telephone call to the home.

High Needs Caseload – An Intensive Caseload that deals primarily with the offender who has issues of unemployment, education, social adjustment and need for community resources.

Diversion Programs – As one of the three sources of funding from TDCJ-CJAD, Diversion Program Funding is a grant program to divert offenders from incarceration.  The Jefferson County CSCD has DP grants for the Drug Diversion Program and the Mental Health Program.

DWI, DWI Repeat Offender, Drug Offender Education (DOE), Programs – The Jefferson County CSCD provides a variety of educational classes for offenders with substance abuse problems.  While most of the offenders attending these programs are required by law to do so, some defendants can be referred to one of the programs as a therapeutic sanction.  These education classes, however, do not substitute for the necessary counseling or treatment that most drug offenders require.

Electronic Monitoring/Alcohol Monitoring - Offender pay based program designed to restrict the movement, or hours of movement, of an offender in a more progressive sanction.  This program allows offenders to maintain employment, while limiting access to the community.  EM may be used as a curfew monitoring program, or in the most restrictive form, house arrest.  The program is designed to be used in lieu of jail, or the filing of a motion to revoke in the intermediate sanction program in instances in which no subsequent offense, or more serious violation of the conditions of probation have occurred. 

Intensive Supervision Probation (ISP) Caseload – Through Basic Supervision Funding, the department provides a higher level of supervision for offenders who present a significant risk to reoffend.  Defendants can be placed on ISP as an original condition of supervision or as an amended condition in lieu of revocation. 

Judicial Review - A judicial review is a meeting with a judge to address severe problems of compliance by the defendant.  Judicial Reviews are one of the latter levels of sanctions, and are used just before filing a violation report for a motion to revoke.  The hearing is generally arranged through an Administrative Hearing.  The results of the hearing can range from a verbal admonishment, to an amendment to the conditions of supervision, to the issuance of a capias.

Motion to Revoke Probation (MTRP) – The Office of the District Attorney issues Motions to Revoke when defendants commit a significant new offense or have undergone all available appropriate sanctions for failing to abide by the conditions of their supervision and continue to be non-compliant.  Only the judge can actually revoke a defendant.

SAFPF Caseloads – The department provides special supervision for offenders who are in the SAFPF program.  The officers must complete special training from the state and they serve on transitional treatment teams with counselors at the SAFPFs and transitional treatment centers while the defendants are in the program.  While the defendants are in the outpatient phase of the program, they are expected to report more often and are subject to more frequent urinalysis.

SASSI – (The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory) is a tool to determine if an offender has the potential for a substance abuse problem and, to some extent, the severity of the problem.  If a problem is detected, a follow-up evaluation or assessment is required to determine the level of need for treatment.

Sex Offenders Caseloads - The Jefferson County CSCD provides two intensive supervision caseloads for defendants on supervision for sex offenses.  There are two phases for offenders on the caseloads.  During the first phase, defendants report to the CSO more often, they complete requirements the law places on sex offenders (e.g., registration and DNA sampling), they attend weekly counseling, and they are subject to frequent contacts at home and at work by CSCD officers.  During the second phase, after they have completed the primary counseling phase successfully, they may report less often, but they are still monitored closely and are required to attend follow-up counseling.

Special Needs Offenders (MH/MR) Caseload – The department supports specialized caseloads for offenders with mental health problems or mental impairments.  Due to the nature of the work, the caseload is smaller in size so the supervising officer can spend more time in dealing with the multiple problems these offenders often bring to their probation.  The supervising officer also works closely with the local Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and tries to assist these defendants in successfully completing their probation requirements.

Substance Abuse Caseloads - These are specialized, intensive caseloads for offenders with documented drug or alcohol abuse problems.  Offenders on these caseloads are expected to attend some kind of outpatient substance abuse counseling or to have completed a residential substance abuse treatment program.  They are also expected to complete the department’s cognitive behavioral program.  Officers in this program are expected to conduct more frequent urinalysis testing and to have more expertise in substance abuse treatment.

Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) – The Substance Abuse Felony Punishment program was created in 1991 by the Texas legislature to provide intensive, long-term treatment for defendants who had failed to remain clean and sober through more traditional substance abuse treatment programs.  The program entails approximately six months of “in-patient” treatment in a prison setting, using a confrontational treatment modality known as a therapeutic community.  The program also includes three months of continuing care at a transitional treatment center (similar to a halfway house) after the in-patient phase, and an additional six months of outpatient counseling.  The SAFPFs cannot accept sex offenders, but they can accept persons who are stabilized from certain medical and mental health problems.  In recognition that most long-term addicts in recovery have a high likelihood of relapse, the SAFPF program also has a relapse component

Supervision Levels – Based on a classification system of the risk to reoffend and needs for services, each offender is assessed a level of supervision that results in more frequent contact with the supervising officer. Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Formerly called the Texas Department of Corrections (or TDC), this state agency is responsible for supervision of adults in the criminal justice system.  It consists of four major divisions (in order of numbers of offenders supervised):  the Community Justice Assistance Division , the Institutional Division, the State Jail Division, and the Parole Division.

Urinalysis Testing – The department maintains a urinalysis laboratory for testing defendants for use of controlled substances.