Hutto will have a fund dedicated to juvenile diversion programs after City Council adopted an ordinance as part of the Texas Youth Diversion and Early Intervention Act Jan. 9. The act, established by Texas House Bill 3186, aims to give at-risk youth a chance to avoid the criminal justice system.
The gist
The city already uses youth diversion programs, but this ordinance codifies those practices and allows the city to charge a fee, Hutto Municipal Court Judge Lucas Wilson said. These programs can help minors who face Class C misdemeanor charges, such as possession of drug paraphernalia, public intoxication and assault without injury, that aren’t handled by the Williamson County Juvenile Services.
“The state Legislature decided it was probably a good idea to try to give youth the opportunity to be diverted from a criminal case or criminal conviction if it was their first time, [or] if it was a relatively minor offense,” Wilson said at the Jan. 9 meeting.
