WACO, Texas — A new state law is now in effect designed to keep our kids out of the Texas Criminal Justice system. House Bill 3186 went into effect January 1st, 2024. It requires every municipal and justice court in the state to have a youth diversion plan in place before the end of the year.
- This will give judges will the option of placing at-risk youth in a diversion program. This holds them accountable, while aiming to keep them from spiraling deeper in the system.
- Some diversion strategies would include, educational and leadership programs, work and job training skills, and mental health screenings.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
“I’ve been to prison — I don’t ever want to go back to prison again,” Kevin Sterling said.
Kevin Sterling grew up in East Waco.
“It goes from packing a gun to protect yourself, to people trying to rob you, and some people get lost and you go from selling drugs to robbing people,” he said.
As a teen he went to juvenile detention for a misdemeanor — as an adult, he ended up in prison for attempted murder.
Kevin says his life might have been different with more guidance in his younger years.
“If I had a diversion program back then, and they could’ve been like 'Hey, lets complete this class, go through this, you don’t have to be on probation, you can do this' and have this opportunity to be taught that 'Hey, violence ain’t the key'," he said.
Texas House Bill 3186 requires every municipal and justice court in the state to have a youth diversion plan in place before the end of the year.
This will give judges will the option of placing at-risk youth in a diversion program. This holds them accountable, while aiming to keep them from spiraling deeper in the system.
“You’ve got to keep telling them, because I was in my 20's and 30’s and I was still learning stuff, and people have been telling me all my life," Sterling said.
"Just levels of understanding, everybody doesn’t grow up with the same understanding."
Some diversion strategies would include educational and leadership programs, work and job training skills, and mental health screenings.
“That’s what the diversion programs need to be, directed and designed for, to teach. You know this is not a punishment. This is something to help you grow and give you knowledge,” Sterling said.
More information: House Bill-3186
