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1. Objectives and Need For This Assistance: The role of the Juvenile Officer as projected in the original grant application is proceeding on course. The Juvenile Officer has been able to increase department awareness in the realm of juvenile crime by the increased investigations that now follow both reported offenses and line officer detentions. M:>re importantly, is the increased public awareness of the deparl::Iœnt's concern and anticipation of juvenile 'crime. The citizens of San Marcos now feel that the department is not only examining the symptoms of criIre, the offender, but is attacking the root cause and working with the juveniles involved. The Juvenile Officer .has taken a role as police liaison between the department and other ccmmnity resources. This has been roost iltportant in the school district. Through the creation of a Police Diversion Project, juveniles are being given aid who are both currently on fonnal adjustment (probation) and the others who are heading in the direction of trouble. At present there are juveniles who are involved in a local diversionary program called "Rent-A-Kid", which is an occupational program designed to help trouble juveniles and non-trouble juveniles find jobs after school and during the sumner rronths. The departIœnt is also active with youth sports, such as soccer, football, and soon a youth basketball league. The City of San Marcos has made plans to build a large recreational facility for youths, which would include an indoor racquetball court, a four court basketball facility, a library, and art roan, and several other acti vi ty roams. This facility will provide a place for juveniles to socialize and receive supervision rather than congregate on vacant lots to consuma alcohol and drugs to alleviate their boredan. In the school district, the M:::Gruff puppet program has been started and has also been enhanced by another city sponsored program entitled "Helping Hand". City vehicles and private industry vehicles have a special emblem affixed to them so that if a child is in trouble, he can seek one of these vehicles out for assistance. Both of these programs have been accepted ove:r::whelmingly by the camnuni ty and parents. Another area of important achievement has been the fonnalization of written policies and procedures to e..ïsure that the juvenile's rights are thorough! y protected. The department has instituted a standardized process in handling all juvenile and runaway cases. Two other programs of great importance to juveniles within the City are ccmnunity sponsored activities and continuing education programs. The Juvenile Officer serves in an advisory capacity to the City Recreation Department on the inportance of carm.mi ty sponsored acti vi ties from a crime prevention aspect. The Southwest Texas State University Recreation Department has agreed to participate in a program where their students will volunteer for recreational activity set up by the Police Department to divert youth into socially acceptable behavior. The newest program enacted in San Marcos deals with juveniles who for Sate reason or another did not complete high school. In conjunction with the Texas Educational Foundation and Gary Job Corps, a non-resident educational program will begin in the fall for these fomer students to cC1Tlplete their education. 2 . Results or Benefits Expected: The anticipated results from the program are to divert juveniles into CJD 15a