Correctional Management Institute Receives Funding

The grants include $131,274 to continue the Center for Project Spotlight, $88,507 for the continuation of the Texas Probation Training Academy, an additional $12,000 for the Texas Probation Training Academy, and $50,000 to continue the Texas Drug Offender Education Program.

Project Spotlight, a program initiated and funded by the Governor's Office in seven of the state's most populous counties, created partnerships between law enforcement, juvenile probation, and adult probation officers to provide intense supervision and enhanced services to juvenile and young adult offends on probation living in high crime areas.

Key features of Project Spotlight are reduced caseloads, intense supervision during nontraditional work hours, high visibility, enhanced educational and social services, and an emphasis on public safety through offender accountability. Project Spotlight sites are found in Bexar, Dallas, El Paso, Harris, Nueces, Tarrant, and Travis Counties.

The Center for Project Spotlight, created two years ago by a grant from the Governor's Criminal Justice Division, is responsible for providing training and technical assistance to the seven sites. Assisting the Correctional Management Institute in this project is the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas.

Personnel involved in the initiative are Dan Richard Beto, the executive director of the Correctional Management Institute; Phillip M. Lyons, associate professor of criminal justice, and David W. Webb, assistant director of the Law Enforcement Management Institute. Program assistants include Sue Godboldt and Karen C. Kalmbach.

The Governor's Criminal Justice Division also awarded the institute $88,507 to continue the Texas Probation Training Academy. In addition, the Community Justice Assistance division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice awarded the institute $12,000 to support the training efforts of the academy.

For over two decades the academy has provided training to adult and juvenile probation officers throughout Texas. The academy provides basic training for juvenile probation and detention officers, certification training for adult probation officers, and specialized training to enhance officers' skills in a variety of areas. In addition the academy provides training for trainers and produces the highly successful chief probation officers conference.

Key academy personnel include staff associates Michelle Broselow and Amanda Bilnoski, and staff assistant Katie Isaacs.

The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse awarded the institute a $50,00 grant to continue the Texas Drug Offender Education Program. The program offers certification training and continuing education to persons responsible for administering or providing training to offenders required to participate in the program as a condition of probation.

The program is managed by Sharese Whitecotton, a former probation officer.

The Correctional Management Institute of Texas is a professional program within the Sam Houston State University Criminal Justice Center.

- END -

SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
Sept. 17, 2002
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu