Resources for Law Enforcement
The Attorney General provides resources for law enforcement though the Criminal Justice Divisions of the agency. These divisions provide investigatory and prosecutorial resources in a number of key areas and are employed - in coordination and cooperation with other local, state and federal criminal law enforcement agencies - to prevent and combat criminal activity. The Attorney General's Office also provides educational resources to law enforcement agencies and to state, county, and local entities on criminal justice issues. The agency also provides valuable resources and services to victims of crime.
Other publications and special reports are listed on the AG Publications page of this Web site.
Detained Foreign Nationals and Consular Notification
Any Texas judicial authority who presides over the arraignment of a foreign national should offer the arraigned person an opportunity to contact the consular officials of his country of origin. Under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular officials are entitled to communicate with and to have access to their nationals in detention so that they can provide consular assistance.
A Magistrate's Guide to the Vienna Convention on Consular Notifications provides sample notification statements written in 13 languages. It is available online in a printer-friendly format:
Other helpful sites:
Gangs
The Juvenile Crime Intervention Division serves as a clearinghouse for information related to youth crime and its prevention, and maintains a gang information database which can be accessed by law enforcement agencies. For more information about this database and training information and programs relating to gangs, click here.
Law Enforcement Training Programs
Various divisions of the Attorney General's Office provide training for law enforcement personnel on request. Courses include the following:
The Juvenile Crime Intervention Division (JCI) offers various training courses on juvenile crime prevention, juvenile justice, and proper investigation of crimes involving juveniles. For more information on the Division's training courses and capabilities, please click here.
The Crime Victim Services Division (CVSD) offers a variety of training on victim related issues. The CVSD Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services Program trains law enforcement on issues relating to sexual assault cases. The training covers sexual assault laws, sex offender notification, investigative techniques, courtroom testimony, crime scene issues, and critical procedures to follow in sexual assault cases. Forensic nurses who are specially trained to collect and preserve evidence of a sexual assault can be an important asset to prosecutors as well as victims. The Attorney General's Office (Sexual Assault & Crisis Services Program) certifies and trains these professionals, who are called Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs). The training hones the nurse examiner's skill in testifying at trial and also emphasizes procedures that can help minimize trauma for the victim during a forensic medical exam following a sexual assault. Call the Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services Program at (512) 936-1270, for more information.
Staff from law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices and juvenile probation agencies can also get TCLEOSE certified training on victim services from the CVSD Training and Victim Assistance Program on a variety of victim-related topics, including:
- Crime Victims' Compensation - how victims and their family members can qualify for financial assistance for certain expenses related to the crime and the specific benefits available through the program.
- Victim Rights - information on rights available to victims of adult and juvenile offenders, includes a discussion of who is responsible for ensuring that victims are afforded their rights and how victims can exercise their rights.
- Victimology - how people react to being victims of crime and how law enforcement and victim service providers can use this information to help victims.
Training and Victim Assistance Program staff is available to train on these topics and can customize for specific audiences such as educational and health care workers.
Nuisance Abatement
Under the Texas nuisance abatement statute, any property can be closed down by court order if it is being use as a crack house, brothel, gang headquarters, or other base of operations for criminals. The statute works by holding the property owners and managers responsible for what happens on their property. The Attorney General helps law enforcement use nuisance abatement laws to shut down gang hangouts and to keep gang members from publicly assembling in areas where criminal activity is rampant. More information can be found in a column by Attorney General Abbott. A handbook is also available.
Peace Officer Liaison
In an effort to provide support to licensed and commissioned peace officers across Texas, the Attorney General has established the position of Peace Officer Liaison. Peace officers may direct their inquiries on law enforcement issues to Captain Greg Lucas of the Criminal Investigations Division at (512) 936-1335 or by email at Gregory.Lucas@oag.state.tx.us.
Prosecutor Assistance
The Attorney General's criminal justice divisions provide investigatory and prosecutorial assistance to local prosecutors throughout Texas. These resources are applied in the areas of criminal investigations, criminal prosecutions, and state post-conviction proceedings. Prosecutors and other law enforcement officials may direct their requests for investigatory and/or prosecutorial assistance to:
Don Clemmer
Chief, Criminal Prosecutions
Office of the Attorney General
P O Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
Email: CJID@oag.state.tx.us
Phone: (512) 475-4220
Fax: (512) 474-4570
School Safety
We are fortunate that Texas schools have not experienced tragedies like those at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech. Those horrific incidents are a warning that we need to be prepared. The Office of the Attorney General and the Texas School Safety Center have joined together to produce new school safety materials for Texas schools.
Revised: November 02 2007
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Criminal Justice
