SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 968
WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is pleased to recognize the
directors and employees of the Community Supervision and
Corrections Department for their outstanding service to the Lone
Star State; and
WHEREAS, With locations throughout Texas, the Community
Supervision and Corrections Department is responsible for
providing community supervision or adult probation services to
hundreds of thousands of individuals, and it offers numerous
programs that are designed to change individual behavior and help
protect the community; and
WHEREAS, The agency's directors, along with their teams,
tirelessly manage all aspects of the adult probation departments
within their jurisdictions, aim to improve lives through the use
of best practices, and encourage individuals assigned to
community supervision to take positive steps toward enhancing
their quality of life; and
WHEREAS, The committed individuals who have contributed
immeasurably to the successful reintegration of formerly
incarcerated individuals into the community include: Paul
Becker, director of Harris County Community Supervision and
Corrections Department; Stephen L. Enders, director of West
Texas Community Supervision and Corrections Department; George
Hernandez, director of Caldwell County Community Supervision and
Corrections Department; Steven T. Henderson, director of Lubbock
and Crosby Counties Community Supervision and Corrections
Department; Leighton Iles, director of Fort Bend County
Community Supervision and Corrections Department; Todd Jermstad,
interim director of Bell County Community Supervision and
Corrections Department; Dr. Geraldine Nagy, director of Travis
County Community Supervision and Corrections Department; Dr.
Michael E. Noyes, director of Dallas County Community
Supervision and Corrections Department; Tom Plumlee, director of
Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department;
Jim Stott, director of Jefferson County Community Supervision
and Corrections Department; and Rodney J. Thompson, director of
Angelina County Community Supervision and Corrections
Department, as well as many other caring and hardworking
employees; and
WHEREAS, Paul Becker has worked diligently with state
legislators to advocate for stronger probation departments on
behalf of the entire field of community corrections; Mr. Becker
has also made much needed improvements to the Harris County
Community Supervision and Corrections Department with his
knowledge of treatment programs and team building; and
WHEREAS, Stephen L. Enders has brought progressive and
innovative programming to adult probation in El Paso for more
than 35 years; he has implemented and administered many
smart-on-crime community corrections programs in the area,
including an adult probation learning center, a treatment
alternative to incarceration program, and victim services;
moreover, Mr. Enders has presented fresh, evidence-based ways of
management, and he is the chair of the Probation Advisory
Committee and a member of the Texas Probation Association and the
Texas Corrections Association; and
WHEREAS, George Hernandez is retiring at the end of August
2009, after a long and admirable career marked by dedication and
service to community corrections; he has devoted numerous hours
as an advocate for recruiting and retaining quality officers, and
he has passionately represented the interests of the Central
Texas regional chiefs as a member of the Probation Advisory
Committee and as the current co-chair of the Texas Probation
Association Adult Legislative Committee; and
WHEREAS, Steven T. Henderson has contributed to the field
of community supervision for more than two decades with his
impeccable work ethic and extensive knowledge about those
programs and supervision strategies that have been proven
beneficial to the community; Mr. Henderson is a much sought-after
resource, and he consistently provides his staff with the tools
and encouragement they need to serve their clients effectively;
and
WHEREAS, Leighton Iles is an invaluable resource for
legislators, probation directors, advocacy groups, and judges,
with over 20 years of experience in addressing substance abuse
and community supervision issues; recognized for his willingness
to go above and beyond what is expected of him, Mr. Iles was
granted membership on the Texas Probation Association Adult
Legislative Committee, and in October 2007, he was appointed to
represent all 122 Community Supervision and Corrections
Department offices on the Judicial Advisory Council; and
WHEREAS, Todd Jermstad shares his experience with
smart-on-crime criminal justice policies and his extensive
legislative knowledge with judges, probation directors, and such
advocacy groups as the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and the
Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy
Foundation; Mr. Jermstad's willingness to support the efforts of
those who seek his help is constant and unparalleled, and it has
made him a trusted and irreplaceable friend to many within the
field of supervision; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Geraldine Nagy has worked with the Texas
Legislature during several sessions to improve community
corrections, and she genuinely understands the role of adult
probation departments in changing the lives of those placed under
supervision and in making the community safer; Dr. Nagy has
dedicated her outstanding career to researching and implementing
effective justice system practices in her current position and
through her former roles as deputy director for the Community
Justice Assistance Division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice and deputy director of Bastrop County Community
Supervision and Corrections Department; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Michael E. Noyes is a valuable asset to the
criminal justice system, and his implementation of
evidence-based best practices is improving the lives of many
Texans; Mr. Noyes has more than 20 years of experience in the
administration of public and private agencies that provide
direct services to at-risk families, delinquent and dependent
youth, and adults within the community corrections environment;
along with his committed and knowledgeable team, he has spent
considerable time during this session working with policy makers
who are seeking smart-on-crime approaches that increase public
safety and use tax revenue efficiently; and
WHEREAS, Tom Plumlee has gained the respect and admiration
of his peers by devoting his career to enhancing the lives of
those involved in the adult probation system; he has served as a
Community Supervision and Corrections Department director for
more than two decades in Amarillo and later Fort Worth, and he has
also worked as a probation officer for the Dallas County
Probation Department; and
WHEREAS, Jim Stott has been a leader in the field of adult
probation as a former president and co-chair of the Texas
Probation Association Adult Legislative Committee; with his
active participation and his incredible dedication, he has
helped his colleagues find solutions to the problems facing
community supervision, and he has remained a strong advocate of
community corrections; and
WHEREAS, Since 1983, Rodney J. Thompson has proven his
commitment to strengthening community supervision in Texas, and
he continues to serve on the board of directors for the Texas
Probation Association and as co-chair of the Texas Probation
Association Adult Legislative Committee; Mr. Thompson was
recognized as the Supervisor of the Year for the Tarrant County
Community Supervision and Corrections Department in 2005, and he
has advocated for qualified staff and additional smart-on-crime
strategies that will target the root causes of criminal behavior
and address the needs of those suffering from substance abuse;
and
WHEREAS, The Community Supervision and Corrections
Department directors have made lasting contributions to the
areas they serve, and they have helped to strengthen the Texas
criminal justice system by reducing incarceration costs,
increasing public safety, and promoting independent and
responsible living; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby honor all employees of the Community
Supervision and Corrections Department for their notable public
service, and extend to them sincere appreciation for their
dedication to the criminal justice corrections community; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for the Community Supervision and Corrections
Department directors as an expression of high regard from the
Texas Senate.
Ellis
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 21, 2009.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate