tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post1462353119458422574..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Local TX probation faces large, unexpected shortfallGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-43700162105976575752010-05-18T21:34:27.636-05:002010-05-18T21:34:27.636-05:00Well, the problem is that the state of Texas has o...Well, the problem is that the state of Texas has one of the worst leaders in charge. Mike Wolfe...if that’s how you spell his name, he is the Director at Taylor county. There is no adult supervision going on at that place, just a desperate need for leadership and professionalism by a director. I have never ever worked with someone who is more egotistical, unprofessional, and unethical in every aspect of work and life. His jealousy for current and former employees that that seek to move on or have moved on for better opportunities or co-workers that seek positive recognition in the community is disgusting and beyond the scope of normal. He does not care about rehabilitating, supervising or providing guidance to offenders in order to mitigate future offenses, all he wants is money from broken people without care how they get it regardless if they have to commit more crimes. In order to promote at that site, you have to kiss his ass, not on a daily basis but on an hourly basis, he is incapable of leadership skills and is severely bi-polar, paranoid and insecure to a point that he needs some sort of physiological help, he promotes in office rivalry and be-little’s co-workers on a daily basis. Several complaints have been made about him but he is always able to wiggle out of them, if Mike Wolfe is one of the one’s in charge of fixing this problem, let me tell you friends, it will only get worse. A leader leads by example, Mike Wolfe leads through manipulation, Mike Wolfe is a coward. I am not posting this comment to be vindictive, I have a moral obligation to inform others of his actions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-37557756388246604242010-04-14T00:33:38.222-05:002010-04-14T00:33:38.222-05:00Bexar County CSCD is the worst piece of crap strew...Bexar County CSCD is the worst piece of crap strewn on this local government. Run by idiots and plagued by imbeciles this department is nothing short of retarded. What interests me most is how a department full of liars, thieves, recreational users (and not just dope, but items such as meth and cocaine), adulterers, on-site sex acts with supervisors for 'advancements', and on and on. It's no surprise; it happens in lots of work places - look at Congress! But a sham to have these morons trying to watch over us - who's watching them? Choke on it, fuckers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-77040889614108185222010-03-20T12:19:56.181-05:002010-03-20T12:19:56.181-05:00Disregard 10:31, they are a disgruntled ex adminis...Disregard 10:31, they are a disgruntled ex administrator! Probably Cline or Fitzgerald. They failed to file budgets for years, and poor Chief Anderson is taking the hit for it! Hang in there Jarvis, we know youare doing everything you can, with the mess the previous admin left youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-16198848391951052512010-03-10T20:51:02.804-06:002010-03-10T20:51:02.804-06:00Legislature requires much from CSCD's. Too man...Legislature requires much from CSCD's. Too many unfunded mandates and then make it law that certain cases be considered for early termination... those cases are usually the ones paying the SF each month that help with budgets. Judge's requiring weekly UA's and only ordering $5 month UA fee (when UA's cost $15 each!)... and let's not talk about electronic monitoring fees that are never repaid... CSCD's continue to be spread thin and it's the community and offenders who are not being served as they should. Swift and appropriate intervention is what helps keep our communities safe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88818555696902828792010-03-08T20:01:27.976-06:002010-03-08T20:01:27.976-06:00Grits,some counties like Bexar County have other p...Grits,some counties like Bexar County have other problems with their funding. CJAD has notified Bexar County Chief Probation Officer Jarvis Anderson he must provide a department plan before the end of March 2010. If this is not done or if CJAD is not satisfied CJAD may reduce state funding to Bexar County<br /><br />This is probably because Jarvis Anderson has not requested the continued assistance of the Justice Center and Tony Fabelo. Tony Fabelo was scheduled to complete a follow up study and assist in making the recommended changes. Jarvis Anderson does not appear to want this help. <br /><br />I realize their are ways to solve the problems at Bexar County other than with the reccomendations of Tony Fabelo. But it is foolish to ignore help offered by CJAD, the Justice Center, and Tony Fabelo.<br /><br />It would be nice to read the plan finally submitted by Jarvis Anderson. I doubt he will make the plan available to Bexar County employees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-8275291201599360472010-03-07T10:31:23.247-06:002010-03-07T10:31:23.247-06:00When County Court at Law Judges charge only $15, 2...When County Court at Law Judges charge only $15, 20, 25 dollars a month for sf's on cases, that we as officers must see on a weekly basis (sometimes up to a year) thats a problem. No wonder cscd's are strugling. Also, when you have judges tell defendant's not to worry about the monies that a porblem. Think the attys would figure that one out (they are the one that make the laws and decide punishment - anotherwords they run the entire system). LOLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-44371187257987113622010-03-06T23:12:48.495-06:002010-03-06T23:12:48.495-06:00Being stupid on crime isn't cheap!Being stupid on crime isn't cheap!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89987651338414123912010-03-06T20:21:37.904-06:002010-03-06T20:21:37.904-06:00Biennial refund requirements for probation departm...Biennial refund requirements for probation departments have been increasing in each and every budget cycle for years. It was only a matter of time before the projection outweighed the reality. I certainly hope there is a practical answer to this very serious issue. Part of the problem is that probation departments across the state have had to bail out existing diversion programs with Basic Supervision funds, because funding for those programs has not increased in years. This has contributed to the decrease in the avaiable fund balance (and subsequently the state refund) in many departments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-72229951622789859942010-03-06T15:05:03.902-06:002010-03-06T15:05:03.902-06:00Allowing probation departments to keep the money m...Allowing probation departments to keep the money money left over after each fiscal year may help. It would be an incentive to make the department more efficient.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-40649177822595943792010-03-06T15:02:06.385-06:002010-03-06T15:02:06.385-06:00An additional burden is that Probation Departments...An additional burden is that Probation Departments are required to make budget estimates for two years at a time. This is a very hard thing to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-40662378909103530082010-03-06T11:16:50.712-06:002010-03-06T11:16:50.712-06:00How dumb can the state and TYC be? This is a major...How dumb can the state and TYC be? This is a major waste of funds that can be used much more efficiently!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-65439355564005387642010-03-06T08:33:31.671-06:002010-03-06T08:33:31.671-06:00Interesting that TYC now claims they will not clos...Interesting that TYC now claims they will not close West Texas State School nor the Vernon "Victory Field". Both of those institutions are vastly empty, there is no reason not to close them. Closing both of these facilities would certainly provide for millions of dollars to be redeployed to be better used on the probation end for juveniles or adults. It is much more efficient to work with people in ways to help them keep themselves out of juvenile lockups or prisons. We must get this right this time around!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-62884277224319848942010-03-05T20:45:35.873-06:002010-03-05T20:45:35.873-06:00CSCD's use travel money to visit offenders on ...CSCD's use travel money to visit offenders on units. Cut that out, use phone calls and video sessions, if needed.<br /><br />There are other expenditures that CSCD's have which could be cut as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-41811664824031005212010-03-05T15:26:00.840-06:002010-03-05T15:26:00.840-06:00I agree with the above comment. Probation officers...I agree with the above comment. Probation officers strive hard to not set up offenders to fail, but the way the Lege has designed probation in Texas can do so for under-educated and under-employed offenders, especially in these hard economic times. Officers are quasi-county and quasi-state employees with increasingly limited authority, and the State uses that as a justification to reduce our tax-burden on the taxpayers. Meanwhile, other state agencies are squandering money (e.g. TxDOT). A major fix needs to be made or, as this article has stated, more offenders will be revoked from probation and sent to serve time in our prisons (that, by the way, are not nearly as overcrowded as claimed).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-23266750595846741102010-03-05T09:03:32.165-06:002010-03-05T09:03:32.165-06:00First of all, fines go to the County and not to Pr...First of all, fines go to the County and not to Probation Departments, secondly fees are set by the legislature and are set at a maximum of $60.00 at the present time. With unemployment as it is among offenders and their inability to pay, increasing fees will only lead to putting them further in a hole. Additionally, our state leaders already accuse us every legislative session of using offenders as "cash cows"! The overall problem is the way departments are forced to be funded and the inefficient projections made by the LBB.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15672104522608322502010-03-05T08:50:48.204-06:002010-03-05T08:50:48.204-06:00Next step: Increase fees and fines on probationer...Next step: Increase fees and fines on probationers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com