Parole Officer Van Foster was the August 2017 recipient of the TJJD Employee Excellence Award. Van began his employment with the agency in September of 1995 as a Program Administrator and is currently a Parole Officer III. Executive Director David Reilly said, “We want to publicly thank Van for his commitment, dedication, initiative, and excellence to the agency. We encourage all of you to express your appreciation to him, as well.” What enticed you to become a Parole Officer? I knew becoming a parole officer would allow me to be involved in shaping the lives of children and families in their communities of origin. What drives you to do a good job? I want all children to know that there are people in this world that really have their best interest at heart. I want the youth I serve to be successfully reintegrated into their families and communities so that the children have opportunities to create a new path. If I tie youth and families to community resources, opportunities for...
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department: Transforming Young Lives and Creating Safer Communities