Probation Support Program

In Texas, more than 100,000 youth are arrested annually or referred to the juvenile justice probation department. It costs an estimated $441.92 daily per youth to house juveniles in state-operated facilities run by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) yet research shows that incarceration is less effective than evidence-based juvenile programs.

Texas Center for Justice & Equality reports, on average, over 10,000 youthful offenders were on probation in 2019. Sadly, 6 out of every 10-youth placed on probation following an adjudication in 2015 were rearrested within three years of their supervision start date, and about a quarter of the same youth was re-convicted in the juvenile system or convicted as an adult within the same time frame.

In part, this may be due to lacking support for youth probationers in their communities, or probation being the wrong response to some youths’ behavior. Research suggests that youth who pose little risk of reoffending may be harmed, rather than helped, by being placed on probation.

The Darius Pettway Life Skool Probation Support Program aims to reduce delinquency, increase student accountability, and rehabilitate offenders through a comprehensive community-based leadership program to reduce the likelihood of adult criminalization while advancing students aged 15-21 to their next phase in life. The Probation Support Program cohorts will be grouped based on age and offense while operating as a family, and in doing so, all students will wear uniforms given by staff. Referrals will come directly from Juvenile Probation Departments for probationers or parolees, schools, foster care, or parent enrollment. Students will create an action plan that analyzes their term of probation while identifying family, environmental, and career barriers to completing their probation conditions. Furthermore, classes are community-based and will be held twice weekly, combined with two Saturdays per month with one parent group, for a total duration of approximately 38 hours per month. Students will receive 16 group hours and 8 hours of one-on-one professional mentor sessions, 10 hours of community service projects, and 4 hours of coaching with matched collegiate criminal justice students at their school campus or home monthly. Program phase two focuses on meaningful community service projects, physical fitness, professional etiquette classes, creative writing and financial literacy workshops, financial literacy classes, and enrichment field trips because here at Life Skool, we believe that seeing is doing and, most importantly, believing in self to create a renewed mindset.

In conclusion, student enrollment in the program will be determined based on probation sanctions. At the end of this course, students keep their workbooks, which contain their commitment signature and a call to action plan to accept the responsibility of serving others and becoming an asset to their family and community. In addition, students will have the opportunity to receive a college scholarship or incentive-based gift card.

Understanding community and educational needs Life Skool Probation Support Program will instantly increase classroom performance and attendance to reduce dropout and recidivism rates by using a simple 3-step process to complete its mission;

  • Leadership 

  • Self-Empowerment

  • Conflict-Resolution

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How It Works

Program Benefits

    • Decrease violent crimes and gang-related activities
    • Improved safety of residents and decreased crime throughout neighborhoods
    • Increased safety of youth and reduced juvenile crime
    • Create life changes and self-empowerment principles within students through mentorship and community service projects
    • Align city objectives with the “Texas Model”- According to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, the central components of the Model are:
      1. Keep youth as shallow in the system as possible
      2. Grow probation resources and preserve local control
      3. Focus on the needs and risks of youth
      4. Provide scalable, graduated options to meet youth and system needs
      5. Commit to the shortest appropriate period for youth to be in our system
      6. Have youth stay as close to their communities whenever possible according to their best interests
      7. Infuse trauma-informed care into everything we do
    • Education support to assure High School/GED completion
    • Completion of probation
    • Job training and referrals
    • Increase school attendance and academic performance
    • One-on-one coaching with collegiate criminal justice students
    • Individual mental health therapy sessions
    • Advance to the next phase in life by way of education, skill trade, or career pathway opportunity
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