Intensive case management
This program provides intensive case management and rehabilitative services to frequent offenders of the community court. Intensive case management is part of Downtown Austin Community Court’s (DACC) overall rehabilitation mission. Using data gathered from the court’s record keeping system and working with community stakeholders, it was decided that the best use of DACC’s rehabilitation budget was to focus on defendants with the greatest need and having the greatest impact on public systems. To begin, the court identified a group of 245 individuals with at least 25 cases and at least one case within the last two years to initiate a study.
Long-term homelessness, physical and mental health issues, and substance abuse are among the common challenges of the clients. DACC’s case management staff works to help bring stability to clients by offering:
- Substance abuse treatment
- Counseling
- Assistance with public benefits applications for those eligible
- Job search assistance
- Temporary housing assistance
The case management staff tries to locate permanent housing for as many of the clients as possible. Having clients housed is seen as the best alternative to having them cycling through the courts, jail, and hospital emergency rooms at great cost to City of Austin taxpayers.
Community service restitution
Community service restitution is designed to instill the concept that public order offending has consequences and provide a way for offenders to repay the community for the harm they have done. The Downtown Austin Community Court holds offenders accountable by imposing timely and meaningful community service and by monitoring it daily for compliance.
Community service projects have included:
- SXSW musical festival set up and cleanup
- Austin Police Department's Reclaim Waller Creek phases I, II, and III
- St. Patrick's Day cleanup
- Art City Austin set up and cleanup
- Safewalk litter pickup
- Earth Day at Waterloo Park
- Keep Austin Beautiful Annual Clean Sweep
- Parks and Recreation Department's It's My Park Day
- Zilker Park and Botanical Gardens maintenance
- Asian American Cultural Festival
- Juneteenth Celebration set up and cleanup
- DACC Project Garden
- 3M Half Marathon
- Parks and Recreation Department's annual Christmas tree recycling
- Community Tree Program
Community service partners include:
- Access and Austin Travis County Integral Care
- Austin Police Department
- City of Austin Municipal Court
- Solid Waste Services Code Enforcement
- Downtown Austin Alliance
- Ecology Action of Texas
- Fleet Services
- French Legation Museum
- Parks and Recreation Department
- Watershed Protection & Development Review
- Salvation Army
- Austin Groups for the Elderly
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Travis County Adult Probation
- Health & Human Services Graffiti Abatement Program