84R7570 MK-D
By: Farias H.B. No. 1507
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a report to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department
concerning restorative justice programs for juvenile offenders in
certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Department" means the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department.
(2) "Local department" means a local juvenile
probation department.
(3) "Program" means a restorative justice program
created for juvenile offenders.
(4) "Restorative justice" means an approach to justice
that emphasizes the importance of an offender's reparation of harm
caused to a victim by the offender's conduct that violates a penal
law. The term includes victim-offender mediation.
SECTION 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies only to a local
department located in a county:
(1) with a population of more than 1.5 million; and
(2) in which more than 75 percent of the population
resides in a single municipality.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2016, a local
department shall submit a report to the department regarding the
program. The report must include:
(1) a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of
the program;
(2) the local department's findings and
recommendations regarding continuation or expansion of the
program;
(3) whether the local department developed an action
plan and if the action plan was followed;
(4) the extent to which restorative justice is offered
by the local department, including the specific programs used in
restorative justice cases;
(5) what methods are used to track data, including
compliance with data privacy laws;
(6) the number of offenders, victims, and community
members participating in the program;
(7) information regarding the types of offenses,
demographics, and relationships between the victims and offenders;
(8) whether monthly audits are conducted and the
results of the audits;
(9) whether the program is equipped to expand;
(10) identification of potential program barriers;
(11) information regarding the criminal history of
offenders;
(12) information regarding the background,
experience, and eligibility of mediators;
(13) whether the program was offered pre-adjudication
or post-adjudication;
(14) victim and offender satisfaction rates regarding
the program;
(15) the overall rate of restitution as a result of the
program; and
(16) the outcome measures used to determine the
effectiveness of the program.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 2, 2017.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2015.