MINUTES 
          
             SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON GANGS AND JUVENILE JUSTICE 
                            Thursday, October 2, 1997 
                                   10:00 a.m. 
                                 Senate Chamber 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on  
         Gangs and Juvenile Justice was held on Thursday, October 2,  
         1997 in the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Royce West                      Senator Chris Harris 
         Senator Robert Duncan                   Senator Mike Moncrief 
         Senator Jon Lindsay 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:20 a.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         none. 
          
         Senator West offered the committee rules and time line for  
         future committee hearings.  Senator Duncan moved adoption of  
         both items.  There being no objection, the motions prevailed. 
          
         The following witnesses testified before the committee: 
          
         Senators West, Duncan and Lindsey made opening statements. 
          
         Lisa Capers, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission--Summarized  
         Texas laws that focus on gangs and juvenile justice.  (The  
         overview covered the Penal Code and the Civil Practice and  
         Remedies Code, Family Code and Education Code). 
          
         Neil Nickels, Texas Youth Commission--Mr. Nickels presented an  
         overview of House Bill 1550. 
          
         Kim Ogg, Director, The Houston Mayor's Anti Gang Office--Ms.  
         Ogg presented testimony on the nuisance laws of the state of   
         Texas and the scope of which those laws are being used. 
          
         Tony Fabello, Director, Texas Criminal Justice Policy  
         Council--Dr. Fabello presented an overview of the juvenile  
         justice system in Texas. 
  
         Steve Robinson & Dwight Harris, Texas Youth  
         Commission--presented an overview on the affect juvenile gangs  
         members have on the juvenile justice system/Texas Youth  
         Commission. 
          
         Vicki Spriggs, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission--presented  
         an overview of the programs The Texas Juvenile Probation  
         Commission has implemented to combat the Texas gang problem. 
          
         Robert Martinez and Elizabeth Buhman, The Office of the  
         Attorney General--presented an overview of the 1997 Attorney  
         General's Gang Survey. 
          
         Gary Johnson, Texas Department of  Criminal Justice--presented  
         an overview of how street gangs have affected the criminal  
         justice system as well as the gangs in the Prison setting  
         (4800 identified gang members exist in Texas correctional  
         facilities, their membership includes Bloods, Crips, the Latin  
         Kings and gangs that exist only in prisons). 
          
         David Gavin, Department of Public Safety--presented an  
         overview of the juvenile justice information system in the  
         state of Texas. 
          
         Thomas Chapmond, Michelle Duhart & Howard Baldwin, Department  
         of Protective and Regulatory Services--presented an overview  
         of the prevention programs that have been implemented such as   
         the STARS program, the Gang Activity Prevention Program &  
         Community Youth Development Program. 
          
         Billy Jacobs, Kay Beth Stavely, Gloria Black, Texas Education  
         Agency--presented an overview of TEA/federally funded  
         prevention/intervention programs in schools. 
          
         Karen Hale, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental  
         Retardation--presented an overview of the Texas Children's  
         Mental Health Plan. 
          
         Jim Hutchins, Office of Court Administration --presented an  
         overview of the juvenile court caseloads in Texas.