Texas

Houston Volunteer Jail Project

Goal

Provide case-specific information to inmates prior to release about pending child support matters.

Description

Since late 1999, prisoners at a number of jails and prisons in the Houston, Texas area have beern able to leave prison knowing the status of their child support cases. Thanks to the Houston Volunteer Jail Project begun by the Regional Community Outreach Coordinator for the Division of Child Support in the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Vince Ivery, the CSE Regional Coordinator, has given talks about child support at many jails and prisons in recent years. His basic presentation covers child support, how it works and services provided to custodial and noncustodial parents. Over time, Ivery came to realize that prisoners had many specific questions about their own cases.

In two prisons, Kegans State and Lynchner State, a collaboration has been formed with a prisoners’ assistance group, Project RIO, which helps soon-to-be released inmates make the transition to the outside world. That project faxes the Houston Volunteer Jail Project the name, social security number, date of birth, and date of release of prisoners being released within the next six months. In other jails and prisons, prisoners fill out an information request form with this information when Ivery makes his initial presentation.

With identifying information in hand, Ivery or Project volunteers pull information on specific inmates from the office automated system. Inmates have child support cases throughout the state. The Project contacts the local office responsible for the case to make sure they know the prisoners' location and the date of release. They obtain the status of any pending child support cases, case numbers, and the name and address of the local child support office.

During his second visit to a prison, Ivery meets very briefly with each individual prisoner for whom he has case-specific information. In some cases, prisoners are surprised. For example, one prisoner was unaware there was an open case. His sister had custody of his child while he was in prison. She had applied for public assistance and thus a child support case was opened without his being aware of it.

The inmate can resolve a number of issues before release if he has information about the case status and a contact in the local office. Sometimes there are outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court during the time an inmate was in prison. Usually, these warrants can be set aside for a date after release. Pending paternity questions are common. Many inmates choose to voluntarily acknowledge paternity while in prison. DNA testing can frequently be done in prison which can expedite case resolution. Inmates can also contact the local child support office in writing to resolve the case prior to release. Some inmates just want to know the status without taking any immediate action.

In many cases, the Project refers soon-to-be released inmates to Houston Works, a recipient of a U.S. Department of Labor grant to help non-custodial parents gain employment. Many, if not most, just-released prisoners meet Houston Works' eligibility criteria which include sketchy employment history and children receiving public assistance. The Project also makes an effort to refer prisoners to legal counsel, upon release, for assistance with their domestic relations cases. A pro bono project in Houston is contacted which can often provide legal counsel.

Results

Between February to August 2000 in these two facilities 711 volunteered to participate. Because these individuals were approached in a non-threatening manner the barrier to communication with child support has been lowered. Fathers are less apprehensive about contacting the child support office because they have a name, face and phone number to contact. At a minimum, local offices now have up-to-date locate and release information on those noncustodial parents. Many of these inmates have gone on to resolve outstanding child support issues, although the number is not certain. Many of these inmates should begin or resume active payment status more quickly when they are released as a result of the Project’s efforts.

Location

This project operates in the Houston area. The project was started independently by the Regional Community Outreach Coordinator in Houston. Several other Texas child support offices began outreach to jails and prisons in their areas. However, provision of case specific information is unique to the Houston project.

Funding

This is a regular IV-D activity covered by IV-D funds. Costs of the program are modest. They include about 12 hours per month making presentations at the two prisons and meeting with inmates at the follow-up meeting plus computer time to look up the status of inmates’ cases. Volunteers look up the information to take back to prisoners at follow-up meetings.

Replication Advice

Vincent Ivery, the Regional Outreach Coordinator in Houston who developed the program, offers several recommendations:

• Meet with the warden of the prison(s) involved early in project. Develop an agreement about sharing information. Although it may take time to establish, the support of the wardens is critical to get and share needed information.
• Try to develop or find legal resources to which noncustodial parents can be referred for legal assistance in resolving their child support cases.
• Try to find ways to help fathers to reconnect with their children. For example, several Texas prisons and jails have programs in which incarcerated parents can earn points toward spending time with their children on a visitation weekend.