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AUSTIN (KXAN) — A program meant to rehabilitate certain teens who get arrested in Travis County did not work as intended for one of the participants.

We are not identifying the teen because he is a minor, but he has given both KXAN and his attorneys with the Juvenile Public Defender’s Office permission to share his story.

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How the Travis County Transformation Project works

The Travis County Transformation Project (TCTP) launched in 2023 as a pilot program. Teens eligible for the program and 15 and 16-year-olds who prompt a 911 call by threatening some kind of physical or emotional abuse towards another family member.

If the teen meets the proper criteria, they have the option to enter a diversion program outside of the criminal justice system instead of going into juvenile detention. Teens suspected of using firearms are not eligible.

District Attorney Jose Garza launched the program after reviewing statistics showing that between 2010 and 2020, assault family violence was the most common crime teens got arrested for in Travis County.

“What the impact is of juveniles entering criminal justice system, it sharply increases the likelihood they’ll commit new crimes in the future,” Garza said, when KXAN reported on the program in October of last year. The purpose of the initiative is to address the holistic needs of the teen and their family.

“These are kids who are living in very challenging situations, often with parents who have unmet mental health needs, unmet substance abuse needs and sometimes food and job insecurity,” Garza said.

Participant ends up back in juvenile detention, CPS custody

While the program has diverted dozens of teens from the juvenile justice system, KXAN learned details about one of the teens who feels like he was “failed” by the program.

In our October story, we referenced a letter the District Attorney’s Office provided us from the teen’s aunt. The letter touted the program’s effectiveness, painting it as a success story. The very next day, the teen’s attorneys reached out to us.

“The child who you did your story on about the letter from the aunt, he was actually our client,” said Ruben Castaneda, the Travis County Juvenile Public Defender. “He was arrested after having participated in the transformation project. He’s given us his permission to share his story.”

According to Castaneda’s office, the teen’s journey – beginning with the initial 911 call that sparked his involvement with the TCTP – went as follows:

• Entered TCTP January 2024
• Spent 30 days in diversion center
• Mother – who made the initial 911 family violence call – still did not want teen back home
• CPS got involved since teen had nowhere to be released to
• Teen arrested when CPS steps in
• Courts found no probable cause for said arrest, teen released
• Teen spent two months in state custody, before returning home in May 2024
• January 2025: Police arrested him for assault family violence against mom
• Teen detained at Gardner Betts Juvenile Center
• Once released, teen reenters CPS custody, where he remains at the writing of the article

KXAN got the chance to speak with the teen at Gardner Betts earlier this year with his attorneys present. During that conversation, he said he didn’t feel like the TCTP’s resources helped with any of his family’s struggles. He also said connecting with the Juvenile Public Defender’s Office is “probably the only reason I’m getting better,” and “if they didn’t come, I’d be doomed.”

“The concept of keeping kids out of the juvenile legal system – I’m all for it, my office is all for it,” Castaneda said. “I believe the way the concept has been executed is flawed.”

Castaneda said a primary concern is that the TCTP doesn’t have a specific person assigned to represent each teen’s legal interests.

“Then the child needs a voice, needs an advocate, to both guide counsel and fight for the child if the child is being treated unfairly,” he said. “There is no such advocate for the child in the transformation project system.”

He addressed how this speaks to the greater complexities of the juvenile justice system and finding the right balance between public safety and rehabilitating minors whose brains aren’t fully developed who often don’t know how to seek out the resources they need.

“Nobody is the worst thing that they’ve ever done, and I want to make sure these children have voices,” he said.

Response on teen’s case from District Attorney’s Office

KXAN has been asking the DA’s Office for an interview about the teen’s case since February, hoping to inquire about any changes the teen’s experience could prompt.

Garza initially said he would interview with us about this, however, his office ultimately sent us a statement that spoke generically about the program. It is below.

The Travis County Transformation Project’s goal is to keep kids involved with family violence in the home out of the system and give them and their families the support they need. The program, which is voluntary, was launched with the support of our local law enforcement, the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, and community partners.  

We take immense pride in the children and their caregivers who have made the empowering choice to engage in this program, which is truly guiding their journey toward healing and growth. Our office extends heartfelt gratitude to our community partners. Their profound impact on these families showcases the strength of community support and the incredible strength of the human spirit.  

Travis County District Attorney’s Office

In February, the mental health and community advocacy partners that run the TCTP alongside the DA’s Office held a graduation ceremony to “honor the trailblazing families of the Travis County Transformation Project.”

According to a news release about this event, the program has diverted 56 teens from the juvenile justice system as of February, and in 35 of those cases, the teens’ families qualified for and received group therapy.