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C~r~".art unanimously approved by a vote of 4-@-@, tc~ h~:we tl-~"e
J:_I~~rariiie lietc:•ritier" tloai-a m~.~re a recc"rnmendatiori to tl-1e L,o"-Irt
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L?etenl.;on Cer"ter- or• yn with Recory inc. far pr•ivatizati.o'n.
A PROPOSAL
to the
KERR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
and
KERR COUNTY JUVENII_.E BOARD
For the Design, Finance, Construction, and Operations
of a Regional Juvenile Detention Facility
KERR COUNTY, TEXAS
August, 1993
August 24, 1993
TO: Members of the Kerr County Commissioners Court
Members of the Kerr County Juvenile Board
Dear Members:
RECOR is proposing the design, finance, construction, and operations of a
48-bed secure juvenile detention facility in Kerr County. The proposed
facility would be available to juvenile probation departments in the
surrounding geographical area and would offer both long term and short
term detention services.
While featuring a secure physical plant, the proposed facility would also
offer meaningful and innovative programs designed to assist youthful
offenders in breaking the cycle of criminal behavior. All can be
accomplished at an estimated per diem rate of $84.00 with no liability to
Kerr County.
Our proposal is attached and we at RECOR strongly feel that the location
of such a facility in Kerr County will prove attractive and beneficial to the
county as well as the juvenile justice system of Texas.
Thank you for your interest in this matter and please feel free to contact me
should you require additional information or clarification. Thank you.
Sincerely,
~,~~ .J ~f
Glenn T. Heckma~
President
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
The Rehabilitation & Corrections Corporation (RECOR) is a
private corrections company based in Austin, Texas
dedicated to providing governmental entities the finest in
the finance, design, construction, and operation of
detention facilities, both adult and juvenile.
The owners and principals of the corporation are prior
county and state employees representing a total of over
forty-five (45) years in the criminal justice system of
Texas. RECOR also employs a Director of Finance with over
twenty (20) years experience in the public and private
finance as well as a Director of Programs who possesses
twenty-five (25) years experience in the development and
implementation of programs.
RECENT LEGISLATION
The intent of the 1991 Legislative Session to divert
youthful offenders away from the Texas Youth Commission
(TYC) through the use of Community Corrections Funds is
fairly new to the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
(TJPC). TJPC departments were requested to submit a
Community Corrections Plan which outlines the programs and
services to be developed or enhanced with Community
Corrections Assistance funding. Such plans were to
include estimates of the number of juvenile probationers
which may be diverted from the TYC.
Due to the successful results derived from the Community
Corrections funding in 1991, the 1993 Legislative Session
increased appropriations for this program to the current
amount of $20,750,000.00 for each Fiscal year of 1994 and
1995.
The 1993 Legislative Session also attached a rider to the
TJPC appropriations which gives the local departments and
juvenile boards even greater latitude in diverting
offenders from the TYC. The rider is as follows:
"Juvenile Boards may use funds appropriated in Strategy
A.1.1. (Basic Probations) and Strategy A.2.1 (Community
Corrections) to lease, contract for, or reserve bed space
with public and private residential facilities for the
purpose of diverting juveniles from commitment to the
Texas Youth Commission."
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PROPOSAL BY RECOR
To accomplish the legislative mandate of a reduction in
admission to the TYC, RECOR is proposing the design,
finance, construction, and operation of secure juvenile
residential facilities in various geographical areas
around the state. Such facilities offering improved and
meaningful programs, will provide a means of diverting
offenders from the TYC while allowing participating
departments local control at the same time.
RECOR has financed, designed, constructed, and is
currently operating a 56 bed juvenile detention facility
in Sweetwater, Texas and is in the process of adding a 20
bed Challenge Course (boot camp). We are also currently
negotiating a contract with the E1 Paso Juvenile Probation
Department for a similar type facility and anticipate a
ground breaking in the very near future.
Kerr County is not unique in its attempt to construct or
locate a suitable number of juvenile detention beds to
accommodate the needs of the local juvenile probation
department. We are aware that Kerr County has passed a
bond issue which earmarks $150,000.00 t=oward the
construction of a 12 bed facility. However, we believe
Kerr County and the surrounding counties would be better
served with a larger regional facility.
RECOR envisions a regional juvenile facility which would
offer a total of forty-eight (48) beds to be divided
between long term detention beds (up to 6 months) and
short term beds (up to 10 days) with Kerr County acting as
the host county.
The projected per diem rate for the participating juvenile
departments is estimated at approximately eighty-four
dollars ($84.00) per bed day for long term detention and
sixty-nine dollars ($69.00) per bed day for short term
detention. Should Kerr County agree to act as the host
county for such a facility, the per diem rate for Kerr
County would be set at ten dollars ($1.0.00) less than that
charged to participating departments.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF FACILITIES
By utilizing the new construction of the proposed
facility, physical security can be maintained at a level
acceptable to Kerr County and the participating
departments. Youth placements will reside in a detention
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atmosphere and will not have the ability to come and go
from the facility at their discretion.
The physical location of the facility and final
architectural design will be reviewed and approved by the
Kerr County Juvenile Board. RECOR projects the proposed
facility at 19,500 square feet and designed to meet all
standards of the American Correctional Association, the
TJPC, and the Kerr County Juvenile Probation Department.
Additionally, the facility will feature a 4,250 square
foot outdoor recreation area.
Additional square footage can be configured into the
facility design should Kerr County elect to incorporate
the offices of the Juvenile Probation Department and/or a
Challenge Course within the facility.
PROGRAMS
While the proposed facility offers an environment of sound
security through its physical structure and proper
staffing, meaningful and improved programs are essential
to the success of the proposed concept:. Effective
programs are available and RECOR is constantly reviewing
such programs to determine which are most effective in
breaking the cycle of criminal behavior.
General programs to be included at the proposed facility
are Academic Education, Vocational Training, Substance
Abuse Counseling, Living Skills, Sex Offender Counseling,
Aggressive Offender Counseling, Self Discipline, Cognitive
Thinking, and Recreation. RECOR is currently researching
a computer based learning system which utilizes the
services of satellite link-up.
The final curriculum of programs utilized at the facility
will be at the discretion of the Kerr County Juvenile
Board with input from the other participating juvenile
departments.
FINANCING AND COSTS
RECOR proposes to finance the facility through a lease/
purchase agreement with the Kerr County Juvenile Board,
subiect to appropriations by the State of Texas, for a
period of fifteen (15) years. Upon completion of the
lease term, Kerr County will have the option to purchase
the facility for one dollar ($1.00).
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Utilizing a lease term of fifteen (15) years with a total
project cost of $2,475,248.00 (see attached cost sheet) at
an interest rate of 7.8%, the monthly lease payment for
the term of the lease is $22,945.85 and is figured into
the overall per diem rate.
By utilizing their Community Corrections Assistance or
State Aid funds, participating juvenile probation
departments will have guaranteed access to the proposed
juvenile facility. The number of "bed days" at the
facility that each department would receive is directly
proportionate to the amount of funds that department
reserves for the project.
A lease/purchase arrangement with the Kerr County Juvenile
Board provides adequate financing of the project without
the necessity of Kerr County issuing bonds, appropriating
additional funds to the local juvenile probation
department, or incurring any liability for the lease
payments.
Tf the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission does not
sufficiently fund the Juvenile Boards for residential
services, neither the Juvenile Boards nor Kerr County are
held liable on the lease. In essence, the Boards are
acting as a conduit for state funds. Should the state
elect to discontinue funding of residential services
sufficiently to make the lease payments, the lender will
repossess the building without recourse to the Boards or
Kerr County.
The participating Juvenile Boards shall designate the
number of beds each Board desires to have in the facility.
The Boards control these beds and designate the length of
stay and criteria for programs of each bed space as they
occur.
If a Juvenile Board does not have full occupancy on its
share of allocated beds, the operator will absorb all
costs of the empty bed space. However, the operator may
request the Boards with low occupancy to allow it to
procure clients from outside of the region in order to
occupy the empty beds. Each Board must give prior
approval to the operator to seek outside clients for the
number of beds as well as the time allotted for such bed
space.
While specific facility and program needs have an effect
on the per diem rate of the facility, it is projected that
the full per diem rate of the proposed I:err County
facility is $84.00 for long term detention and $69.00 for
short term. The Texas Criminal Justice Policy Council
recently released statistics which reveal that the average
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per diem cost to the TJPC for
and the average per diem cost
Texas Youth Commission is $115
detention centers is $92.45
for incax-ceration in the
.72.
HENEFITS OF PRIVATE OPERATIONS OF FACILITY
The benefits of contracting with RECOit for the management
and operation of the facility are numerous:
1. RECOR possesses the resources t=c, recruit, train,
and retain professional personnel who are able to
carry out the goals of the facility and the desires
of the contracting authority.
2. RECOR's operations team eliminrit.es the contracting
authority's need to provide additional employee
benefits (health insurance, retirement, etc.) that
often prove to be a financial burden.
3. RECOR absorbs all liability is::~~es concerning the
facility, staff, and residents.
4. RECOR has the capability to idei.tify and recruit
additional outside resources should they become
necessary in fulfilling the goals of the program.
RECOR maintains a policy of woi:bcing closely with
the contracting authority to en,~ure all staff
members are professionally trained and that the
facility staffing pattern is more than adequate.
Based on our experience in the operation and
management of detention facilities, RECOR is
confident that we can be of benefit to the
contracting authority which desires the private
management and operations of a facility.
The design, finance, and construction of any detention
facility are certainly critical factoz:> in the success of
a criminal justice project. However, ~,~e believe that the
ultimate success or failure of a facility and its goals is
directly related to the quality of operations and its
staff members. We have the desired ex}.,erience and
expertise in the area of operations tip produce a program
second to none.
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GENERAL BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED REGION?1L FACILITY
1. All participating juvenile probation departments
will have guaranteed access to a secure detention
facility for placements.
2. The participating departments wi~l determine who
enters the facility and will also make the decision
to detain or remove a youth from the facility.
3. All programs, services, and style of operations
will be approved by the participating departments,
based on their specific needs and desires.
4. RECOR will employ a Juvenile Liaison Officer who
will report to the juvenile jurisdictions in order
to coordinate placements, court appearances, pre-
release, facility monitoring, eta,.
5. Any and all public hearings regarding the project
will be conducted by RECOR.
6. With RECOR's ability to finance such a proposal, it
is not necessary for the Kerr County Commissioners
Court to issue bonds for construction or incur any
liability for the project.
GENERAL BENEFITS TO KERR COUNTY, TEXAS
1. The Kerr County Juvenile Probati<~n Department will
have access to long term and short term detention
beds within Kerr County, thereby enjoying local
control and monitoring.
2. The dilemma surrounding the Kerr County Juvenile
Detention facility will be resolved for many years
to come without the necessity of a bond issue.
3. At the end of the fifteen (15) year lease, the Kerr
County Juvenile Board will have the opportunity to
purchase the facility for one dollar ($1.00) with a
free and clear title.
4. The physical location and final architectural
design of the facility will be approved by the
Kerr County Juvenile Board.
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5. The proposed facility will offer approximately 25 -
30 new employment opportunities with RECOR's
commitment to hire as many Kerr County citizens as
possible. Annual payroll for facility personnel is
projected to be approximately six hundred thousand
dollars ($600,000.00).
6. When possible, RECOR pledges to purchase consumable
goods and services from merchants of Kerr County
with projected annual costs of approximately five
hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00)
7. RECOR will strive to employ a local architect,
engineer, and general contractor during the design
and construction of the facility. Furthermore, it
is RECOR's intent to employ as many Kerr County
citizens as possible during the construction phase
of the project.
8. Should Kerr County elect to serve as the host
county for the proposed regional facility, it would
enjoy a per diem rate of $10.00 ]ess than is
charged to the other participating juvenile
departments.
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KERR COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY
Projected Costs
Legal, Finance, Bonding, Insurance,		
and Title Policy	$	50,000
Interim Interest Cost	$	131,818
Building Construction	51	,267,500
Land	$	100,000
Utilities & Site Preparation	$	100,000
Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment	$	216,000
Security and Surveillance	$	132,000
Start Up Costs	$	275,000
Architect & Engineer Fees	$	102,930
Administration and Inspection	$	100,000
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $2,475,248
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