ORDER N0. ~7~91
RPPROVRL OF 200r'-c^~~3
KERR COUNTY COMMUNITY F'l_RN
On this 'the lc.:th day of R~ag~ast ~'00c, i..ipun motion made by
Commissioner Baldwin, seconded by Commissioner- L_etz, the Co~_u^t
unanimously approved by a vote of 3-0--0, of the c~OL-c02i3 Kerr
Cu~_inty Comm~_inity Flan as presented.
COMMISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST ' ~~ ~ CP' ~~
PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND NINE COPIES OF THIS REQUEST AND DOCUMENTS TO BE
REVIEWED BY THE COURT.
MADE BY: Fred Hennek ~~ OFFICE: Count~Judge
MEETING DATE: Aug_ttst 12, 2002 TIME PREFERRED:
SUBJECT: (PLEASE BE SPECIFIC)
Consider and discuss approval of 2002-2003 Kerr County Community Plan.
EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON)
NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT:
ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION:
IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE:
County Judge
Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter
551 and 552, Govemment Code, is as follows:
Meeting scheduled for Mondays:
THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY:
THIS REQUEST RECEIVED ON:

All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been
prepazed for the Court's fom~al consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be
appreciated and contribute towards you request being addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules
Adopted by Commissioners' Court.
5:00 P.M. previous Tuesday.
A child's vice in court.
P.U. box 290965
Kerrville, Texas
78029
The Honorable Fred Henneke
Kerr County Judge
Kerr County Courthouse
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Dear Judge Henneke:
July 2 S, 2002
Office (830) 896-2272
Fax (830)896-2309
Mobile (830) 459-3803
hccasa(gktc.com
Enclosed please find the completed 2002-2003 Kerr County Community Plan.
As you know, this document is the result of several community meetings and
has been awhile in the making. Aurora Gonzales, AACOG's CJ Coordinator, has
reviewed this for format and tells us it looks good to her.
Please take a minute to look it over and, if it meets with your approval, we ask
that you take it to Commissioner's Court for their seal of approval before we
submit it back to AACOG to be filed. I will be glad to come before the
Commissioner's Court to answer any questions if you think it necessary -just
let me know.
My
Diaaa~L Oehler
Execu 've Director
Hill Country CASA
HILL COUNTRY COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES
Serving Kerr, Bandera, Kenda//, Gi/lespie Counties
HCCASA IS A MEMBER OF TEXAS AND NATIONAL CASA ASSOCIATIONS
KERR COUNTY, TEXAS
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
AND
PUBLIC SAFETY
NARCOTICS LAW ENFORCEMENT
COMMUNITY PLAN
JULY 2002
Points of Contact:
Kerr County Judge Fred Henneke - (830) 792-2211
Dwight Sadler -Juvenile Justice - (830) 257-6110
Bill Hill -Public Satcty/Narcotics Law Enforcement - (830) 257-2991
Diane Oehler -Victim Services - (830) 896-2272
KERR COUNTY, TEXAS
CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY PLAN
JULY 2002
INDEX:
I. Purpose and timeline
II. Background and Introduction
III. Crime Statistics and Trends 1999-2000
IV. Resources
V. Priorities, Needs and Gaps in Services in Community Plaa 2001
VI. Revision of Priorities, Needs and Gaps in Service for 2002-2003
VII. Measurement of Progress made in meeting Priorities, Needs and Gaps
VIII. Committee Recommendations
2
PART ONE -CRIME AND DELINQUENCY
I. PURPOSE AND TIMELINE
Since 1997 the Criminal Justice Division of the Texas Governor's Office has given grant
funding priority to projects that are part of a comprehensive Community Plan. This means that
criminal justice planners have worked with diverse groups of community leaders to assess and
assign priorities to community problems and to develop comprehensive strategies that address
each community's criminal justice needs.
The Community Plans that resulted from these collaborative efforts identified community
resources, noted the current coordination between local agencies, identified the gaps in services
and laid out strategies to address the stated needs. In 2000 the Governor's Office announced that
these Community Plans would no longer be tied solely to criminal justice grants but would be
used as the foundation for comprehensive five year plans that addressed each community's
general needs. There is indication that Community Plans may well become the framework through
which most federal and state grants aze allotted. The following community plan is submitted for
Ken County to be used for planning purposes.
II. BACKGROUND
Kerr County is located in the south central region of Texas and includes the cities of
Kerrville, Ingram, Center Point and Hunt. The geographical area of the county measures some
1,107 squaze miles. Census 2000 figures show that Ken County has a total population of 43,653
with a sizable Caucasian majority. At the present time there are a small percentage of minority,
primarily Hispanic, individuals living in Kerr County. However, because undocumented workers
and families aze not likely to be counted by the Census, the proportion of Mexican Americans
living in the county is probably higher. As of 1998, about 25% of school age children and one
third of the infants born in Kerr County were Hispanic.
The median age in Kerr County is 43.80 yeazs. This older than average median age and
decreasing numbers of individuals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s suggests a retirement community.
Latest available statistics show a median household income of $23,205 with a per capita income
of $12,899. Although there are pockets of wealth in the county; 50.7% of public school students
in the three largest districts in Kerr County qualify for nutrition programs that target children from
economically disadvantaged homes.
Within the county there are 15 public schools and several smaller parochial and private
schools. The latest available (1999-2000) school dropout rate for Kerrville ISD is .8%; Ingram
ISD had a drop out rate of 1.1% and Center Point ISD's rate was 3.9%. Over that same period
of time the state's average was .3%. Census data from 1990 (latest available) showed Kerr
County's illiteracy rate to be 25%.
Kerr County has three hospitals; Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital, the Kerrville State
Hospital, and a Veteran's Administration Hospital-South Texas Health Caze System. The
county's employment base is a mixture of government jobs, retail trade, service industry,
manufacturing, and construction. 1'he county's average wage scale is low. The unemployment
rate is also low but minorities are disadvantaged in that statistic. There is a Texas Workforce
Commission office in Kerrville and AACOG's Workrite Committee also works to improve
employment opportunities in the county. There is no significant heavy industry in Kerr County.
There aze several small corporations who base their operations out of this azea but their work
forces aze relatively small. Agriculture is still a notable part of the county's economic base.
Tourism is the most significant single industry in the county.
III. CRIME STATISTICS/TRENDS 1999-2000
Kerr County faces many of the same social and law enforcement problems as other rural
counties in Texas. However, because of the city of Kerrville's location and size; Kerr County has
traditionally been instrumental in providing many services to surrounding rural azeas.
A. Adults - (17 years and older) arrested:
		1999	2000
1.	Crimes against Persons	300	170
	(murder, assault, rape etc.)		
2.	Crimes against Property	325	321
	(theft, fraud, vandalism)		
3.	Weapons Offenses	25	17
4.	Driving Intoxicated	446	294
5.	Crimes against Family	39	67
6.	Sex Offenses (except		
	rape & prostitution)	39	12
7.	Crimes against Public	1407	997
	Peace (drunk, disorderly		
	conduct, prostitution, etc.)		
	Totals	2581	1878
B. Youth - (16 year and younger) arrested:
		1999	2000
1.	Crimes against Persons	52	86
Z.	Crimes against Property	87	106
3.	Weapons Offenses	1	7
4.	Driving Intoxicated	1	1
5.	Crimes against Family	1	1
6.	Sex Offenses	1	5
7.	Crimes against Public	147	223
	Peace		
	Totals	290	429
4
C. Substance Abuse Arrests -
1999	2000
Adults 262	188
Juveniles 13	37
Totals 275	225
D. Gang Information - We have no organized adult or juvenile gangs in Kerr County.
E. Registered Sex Offenders -
1999 2000
70 73
F. Truancy Rates -Kerrville ISD, Ingram ISD and Center Point ISD all reported an
attendance rate of 98.5% in the 1999-2000 academic yeaz.
IV. RESOURCES
Ken• County has a variety of public and private agencies/organizations that provide
resources to our community. Chief among those are the following:
LAW ENFORCEMENT -
Kerr County Sheriffs Department
Kerrville Police Department
Ingram City Mazshall's Office
Texas Department of Public Safety
216`" Judicial District Nazcotics Task Force
Kerr County Constables
Drug Enforcement Agency
Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
U.S. Customs
U.S. Border Patrol
Kerr County Adult and Juvenile Probation Departments
Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG)
Military Resources
Crime Stoppers
CURRENTLY FUNDED CJD PROJECTS -
216 Judicial District Narcotics Task Force - is a cooperative nazcotics law enforcement
project sponsored by the Kerrville Police Department, the Ken County Sheriffs Department and
the Ingram City Marshall's Office.
Hill Country CASA -works with the Courts to provide advocacy services for children
involved in the judicial process because of abuse or neglect.
Hill Country Crisis Council - maintains a safe house and provides crisis intervention,
counseling and other services for victims of domestic violence and related crimes.
Kerr County Juvenile Facility (Kerr County Juvenile Board) -locked facility which
provides therapeutic placement for juveniles (pre/post adjudicated)
Kids' Advocacy Place -provides services for victims of child abuse and their non-
ofli;nding family members in the form of evaluation, intervention and evidence gathering.
FAITH BASED AND CBO ORGANIZATIONS -
American Red Cross -educational forums and disaster relief for azea families
Any Baby Can -assists children who have disabilities (birth through twelve)
Calvary Temple Daycare -provides government subsidized day caze for low income
families
Center Point ISD -education and support services pre-K through 12"' grade
Christian Assistance Ministry -ecumenically sponsored/supported; provides community
coordination of food and rent/utility supplements for needy families.
Christian Women's Job Corp- provides job training and support services for low
income women.
Churches of all denominations -have various community outreach programs
Community Resource Coordination Group (CRCG) -staffs local service delivery for
children and families with multi-agency needs.
Community Social Action Council - provides a networking forum for service agencies
Dietert Senior Center - provides a wide variety of services for the azea's elderly
Divide ISD- education and support services pre-K through 6th grade
Hill Country Christian Counseling -ecumenically sponsored/supported; provides
sliding scale/low cost counseling
Hill Country Family Outreach -provides intervention in families who have been
identified as being at risk for child abuse/neglect.
Homespun ECI -provides assessment and therapeutic intervention for developmentally
delayed children (birth to three)
Hunt ISD -education and support services pre-K through 6`h grade
Ingram ISD -education and support services pre-K through 12`h grade
K'Star Youth and Family Services - operates an emergency shelter for children as well
as a counseling program for children and families in conflict/crisis
Kerr County Child Services Board -coordinates special services for children in state
care and promotes community awazeness of child abuse
Kerr County Indigent Health Center -provides (limited) indigent health care
Kerrville Area Hospice -provides support services for the terminally ill and their families
Kerrville ISD -education and support services pre-K through 12`h grade
Kerrville Ministerial Alliance -ecumenical group
Partners in Ministry -non-denominational group which assess community needs and
identifies/coordinates local resources to meet those needs
Peterson Regional Heath Care Center -privately funded hospital which serves the area
Raphael Free Community Clinic -provides low cost medical services to azea residents;
emphasis on women and children without medical insurance
Salvation Army - provides a variety of services including an emergency shelter, dental
clinic and meal programs.
Sunshine Inn Children's Resource Center -provides government subsidized daycare
and after school programs for low income families
Tezas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) -removes children
from abusive homes and provides services for those children and their families.
Texas Rehabilitation Commission -provides vocational rehabilitation services to people
with physical or mental disabilities.
Texas Rural Legal Aid -provides low cost legal aid for economically disadvantaged
Texas Workforce Commission -provides employment opportunities/services for the
unemployed
Volunteers of America -provide housing (sliding scale) and support services for low
income elderly
WIC - food/nutrition program for women and children
YMCA -provides daycaze, after school programs and structured activities for youth
Mental Health Services-
Kerrville State Hospital
Hill Country Mental Health Center
Private practitioners
Drug/Alcohol Treatment Programs-
Hill Country Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse
La Hacienda
Starlight Treatment Center
Emergency Shelters-
Hill Country Crisis Council (women and children victimized by domestic violence)
K'Staz Emergency Shelter (children)
Salvation Army Lodge (indigent adults and families)
Emergency Financial Services -
Christian Assistance Ministry
Churches of various denominations
Salvation Army
St. Vincent De Paul Society
V. PRIORITIES, NEEDS AND GAPS IN SERVICES IDENTIFIED IN
COMMUNITY PLAN 2001
The 2001-2002 Ken County Community Plan identified three major criminal justice issues
that were of concern to the citizens of Ken County. The issues were priority ranked and areas of
concern related to those issues were identified. Additionally, in an attempt to move towazds a
comprehensive community planning strategy; community needs and gaps in services that aze not
directly related to criminal justice were identified.
The major criminal justice categories that the community planning group identified in 2001
were:
1. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
2. Victim Services
3. Public Safety and Narcotics Law Enforcement
VI. REVISION OF PRIORITIES, NEED AND GAPS IN SERVICE FOR 2002-03
The criminal justice categories the 2002-03 Ken County Community Plan identifies as areas of
need in Kerr County continue to be prioritized as:
1. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
2. Victim Services
3. Public Safety and Narcotics Law Enforcement
As in the past, there has also been an attempt made to move towards a comprehensive community
planning strategy. Therefore, community needs and gaps in services that aze not directly related
to criminal justice have also been discussed.
1. JUVENILE JUSTICE
Issues pertaining to juvenile justice and delinquency in our area continue to be the top priority in
the Ken County Community Plan. Within the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency portion of the
Ken County Community Plan priority is given to the following programs:
(a) Prevention and intervention programs which focus on character
development, decision making and leadership skills for at-risk youth or youth who
are already involved in the juvenile justice system.
(b) Development of an outpatient substance abuse program for at-risk and
adjudicated youth.
(c) Development of a program that will provide individual and family
counseling services to indigent juvenile offenders who have been adjudicated.
(d) The hiring and training of a Juvenile Law Enforcement Officcr for the
Kerrville Police Department and Kerrville Sheriffs Department.
Strong support has also been shown for programs that focus on teaching pazenting skills to
teenage pazents, increasing the successful school performance of juvenile offenders, summer
recreational programs for youth and increasing job opportunities for juveniles.
The statistics provided in this community plan show that the level of delinquent activity by
juveniles has increased during the past three yeazs. In addition to the increased level of referrals to
the juvenile authorities, many of the community-based programs that were once available to
juvenile offenders have been cut in recent yeazs due to a lack of funding. Examples include
chazacter development programs offered by the Hill Country Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
and outpatient substance abuse counseling once offered by the Ilill Country Independence House.
The Kerr County Juvenile Probation Department does not have resources available to address the
gaps in services that were created when these programs were discontinued. While it is mutually
understood that punitive punishment is necessary when dealing with delinquent behavior, there is
also a growing awazeness that intervention and rehabilitation strategies aze imperative in
successfiilly dealing with juvenile justice concerns.
Gaas in Service:
There is currently a lack of services available for at-risk juveniles and juvenile delinquents in our
community outside of the Kerr County Juvenile Facility. The Juvenile Court in Kerr County has
very limited options available for referral as young people move through the juvenile justice
system. Although counseling is avaIlable to juveniles while they aze in detention, there is no
continuum of services once they aze released. In the current system indigent children (with no
insurance) who have been adjudicated have no services available to them unless they qualify for
MHMR programs. There is a need to enhance the therapeutic and rehabilitative aspect of the
juvenile justice system in our community through the creation of new programs and services
available outside of confinement. Intervention programs such as first-offender programs offered in
many rural communities throughout the state would provide a possible alternative to incazceration
and adjudication in many cases for at-risk youth.
With the increased number of arrests made among the juvenile population during recent yeazs the
Kerr County Sheriffs Department and the Kerrville Police Department need officers trained and
assigned to specifically handle juvenile cases. Kerr County is fortunate to have a School Resource
Officer at each school district within the county but there is a need to have officers trained to
handle off-campus investigations involving delinquent youth.
2. VICTIM SERVICES-
Within the Victim Service portion of Kerr County's Community Plan priority is given to
programs that provide services to victims of felony crimes, child abuse, domestic violence
and sexual abuse. There is also strong support for education and intervention programs that
focus on issues such as family dynamics, substance abuse, at risk youth, domestic violence, sexual
abuse and advocacy services.
Other noted azeas of concern (not specifically victim services) aze: substance abuse, affordable
childcaze, affordable housing, affordable medical caze and a lack of employment opportunities.
Historically, many of the resources listed earlier in this plan have worked to provide support and
social services to those individuals (victim and non-victim) who seek assistance. In Ken County,
we aze able to give limited help to families and individuals who seek basic needs (food, clothing,
childcaze, temporary housing, and utility bills). There is some local advocacy for the disabled as
well as some job training and development. In addition, there is some medical and dental caze
available as well as limited, no cost or sliding scale counseling. Our community has begun to
coordinate services and network information so that our resources aze optimally used. In
particulaz, those agencies and organizations which provide service to victims of crime have come
to cooperate and network resources to maximize benefits.
Gaps in Service:
The local District and County Attorney Offices have Victims' Assistance Programs that
are not well organized or well pubhcized in our county. There is a need to enhance Kerr
County's program of assisting victims with benefits available through the Crime Victims'
Compensation Act. There is also a need to provide an organized Victim Service program
which tracks cases and coordinates services for those individuals who have been impacted
by crime.
There aze gaps in accessibility to affordable services in the areas of housing,
medicaVdenta]/optical care, family and individual counseling, and quality childcaze (most
especially 24-hour/7 day a week caze). Additionally there are very limited resources to
assist women and families trying to transition into independent living situations who need
help with utility deposits, childcare, food and educationa]/jobtraimng opportunities. Often
these families have been impacted by domestic violence, child abuse and substance abuse.
Agencies in the community need to continue working together on a regular basis to
strengthen ties, shaze information and maximize efficiency in services provided. Much
progress has been made in regard to putting appropriate guidelines in place for sharing
information but there is still room for improvement.
3. PUBLIC SAFETY AND NARCOTICS LAW ENFORCEMENT -
With continued population growth, Kerr County is experiencing increased problems where pubhc
safety, narcotics enforcement and juvenile-related crimes aze concerned.
Within the Public Safety and Nazcotics Law Enforcement portion of the Kerr County Community
Plan priority is given to:
(a) Maintaining operation of the 216'h Judicial District Narcotics Task Force
(b) A special prosecutor to handle sex crimes for the 216`" District Attorney
(c) intervention programs for at-risk juveniles
(d) Hire and train juvenile officers for the Sheriff and Police Departments
10
Local law enforcement agencies lack the funding, personnel and equipment necessary to provide
the needed level of nazcotics law enforcement if they aze to effectively combat the drug problem
in Kerr County. By participation in the 216th Judicial District Nazcotics Task Force, these
agencies are able to deal with Kerr County's drug problem at a reasonable cost.
Gaps in Service:
As sex crimes increase, the 216`h Judicial District Attorney's office needs a prosecutor to
specifically handle these cases.
There are gaps in intervention programs for juveniles who demonstrate at-risk behaviors.
There is need for a First Offender Program for juveniles to provide a viable option for
dealing with at-risk youth in Kerr County.
Law enforcement agencies need officers trained and assigned to handle juvenile cases.
Kerr County has some school resource officers at present and it would be helpful to also
have juvenile officers who would handle off-campus investigations.
VII. MEASURMENT OF PROGRESS TO BE MADE IN MEETING PRIORITIES,
NEEDS AND GAPS IN SERVICE
1. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency -our priorities, needs and gaps in service focus on the
support and expansion of programs that:
• prevent juvenile crime
• intervene and make changes in the lives of at-risk children
• support the work of law enforcement agencies as they work with Kerr County's
youth.
Our goal is to offer a full spectrum of juvenile justice related services in Kerr County.
These services would include prevention and intervention programs which focus on
character building, decision making and leadership, life skills, substance abuse, counseling
and adequate law enforcement involvement in juvenile issues.
Our objective is to find continuing support for existing prevention/intervention
programs and add new ones with public and private resources.
2. Victim Services -our priorities, needs and gaps in service focus on the support and expansion
of programs that provide services to victims of:
• Felony crimes
• Child Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Sexual Abuse
There is also support for education and intervention programs that focus on topics related to
those four categories.
11
Our goal is to provide a full spectrum of victim service programs in Kerr County. These
programs would assist each victim of a crime with direct services such as benefit
application, counseling and advocacy. Programs would also provide education to the whole
community about issues that are related to crime and victimization.
Our objective is to find continuing support for existing victim service programs and
expand the population service with additional services.
3. Public Safety and Narcotics Law Enforcement -our priorities, needs and gaps in
service focus on continued support for programs that keep our community safe and for
expansion of programs that will allow law enforcement and the Courts to deal with
specific areas of concern.
Our goal is to keep Kerr County safe and to reduce the incidents of crime by giving law
enforcement and prosecutors offices the support they need to do their job.
Our objective is to find continuing support for existing law enforcement programs and
expand public services with new programs that focus on specific areas of concern.
VII. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The 2002-2003 Kerr County Community Plan identified three major criminal justice issues
that were of concern to the citizens of Kerr County. The issues were priority ranked and areas of
concern related to those issues were identified. Additionally, in an attempt to move towards a
comprehensive community planning strategy; community needs and gaps in services that are not
du•ectly related to criminal justice were identified.
The major criminal justice categories that the community planning group identified in 2002
were prioritized as:
1. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency -Within this section of the Kerr County
Community Plan, the priority programs for funding are:
(a) Prevention and intervention programs which focus on character
development, decision making and leadership skills for at-risk youth or youth who are
involved io the juvenile justice system.
(b) Development of an outpatient substance abuse program for at-risk aad
adjudicated youth.
(c) Development of a program that will provide individual and family
counseling services to indigent juvenile offenders who have been adjudicated.
(d) The hiring and training of a Juvenile Law Enforcement Officer for the
Kerrville Police Department and Kerrville Sheriff s Department.
2. Victim Services - In Victim Services priority is given to programs that provide
services to victims of felony crimes, child abuse, domestic violence and sexual abuse. There
is also strong support for education and intervention programs that focus on issues such as family
dynamics, substance abuse, at risk youth, domestic violence, sexual abuse and advocacy services.
3. Public Safety and Narcotics Law Enforcement -Within tlds section of the Kerr County
12
Community Plan priority is given to:
(a) Maintaining operation of the 216`h Judicial District Narcotics Task Force
(b) A special prosecutor to handle sex crimes for the 216`h District Attorney
(c) Intervention programs for at-risk juveniles
(d) Hire and train juvenile officers for the Sheriff and Police Departments
13