What enticed you to become a Probation Chief? My aspiration growing up was to be a private investigator, a lawyer, a stockbroker, or a therapist. I have always had the desire to help others. After being a volunteer Big Brother and then an intern at Michigan State University with the Ingham County Juvenile Probation Department, I realized that I wanted to spend my career working with troubled youth. What drives you to do a good job? Knowing that we as an agency and we as a profession have the obligation to do the best we can at creating opportunity for youth to be successful while also taking into consideration the protection of the community. The youth and family “needs” change and we have to position ourselves to be flexible enough to meet their changing needs. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen during your career? I have seen many changes in my 34 years of employment at the Juvenile Probation Department from advances in technology to changes in philosophical ap...
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department: Transforming Young Lives and Creating Safer Communities