NCJ Number
200217
Journal
Crime & Justice International Volume: 19 Issue: 72 Dated: April 2003 Pages: 21-24
Date Published
April 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes Project Spotlight, a collaborative program in Texas, designed to reduce the recidivism of high-risk probationers.
Abstract
In late 1999, the Criminal Justice Division of the Texas Governor’s Office created Project Spotlight as a collaborative, neighborhood-level initiative to reduce the possibility of re-offending among high-risk probationers in high-crime neighborhoods. This article describes the program, its benefits, and its infrastructure. Project Spotlights operates by bringing together teams of professionals that provide intensive supervision and surveillance, which includes evening, early morning, and weekend visits to the homes of probationers to assure the terms of probation are met. The teams include juvenile probation officers, adult probation officers, and law enforcement officers. Other elements of the program include electronic monitoring, curfews, and regular drug testing. The program also provides family development assistance and educational and vocational assistance. The main benefit of the program is the increased communication between probation and law enforcement. Typically, probationers spend 6 months in Project Spotlight, but the length of time depends on the terms of the court order. The Center for Project Spotlight was created in 2000 to provide training, newsletters, and technical assistance. Contact information is provided, as well as a Web site address.