Leadership Team

Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD) provides supervision and services to young people between the ages of 10 and 17 who are under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court. HCJPD is the largest juvenile probation department in Texas with approximately 1,100 employees and over 6,600 young people referred to the department annually.

HCJPD programs and services operate under the direction of the Harris County Juvenile Board.

Henry Gonzales, MS

Executive Director

For the past 35 years and counting, Henry Gonzales has dedicated his career to the field of juvenile justice.

From the beginning as a volunteer mentor to his current role as Executive Director and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer (CJPO) of Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, (HCJPD) Henry’s professional life reflects decades of commitment to young people, families, communities in contact with the juvenile justice system.

In addition to his role as Executive Director and CJPO, Henry serves as the Superintendent* of HCJPD’s Excel Academy Charter School, the academic institution serving residents of the department’s pre- and post-adjudicated facilities, and The Opportunity Center, a former secured youth facility transformed to a community-based center focused on vocational training, job placement, and supportive services.

An ardent proponent of juvenile justice transformation, Henry works closely with the Annie E. Casey Foundation as a partner in their Deep End Reform and Probation Transformation initiatives aimed at “transforming juvenile probation into a focused intervention that promotes personal growth, positive behavior change, and long-term success for youth who pose significant risks for serious offending.” - Annie E. Casey Foundation

As a member of Youth Correctional Leaders for Justice, Henry collaborates with current and former youth correctional administrators to help shift juvenile justice culture toward embracing a vision focused on youth, family, and community-centered solutions as an alternative to incarceration and punitive sanction practices.

Henry serves on the Executive Steering Committee of My Brother’s Keeper Houston (MBK). MBK Houston works on identifying pivotal, life-success milestones from a young person’s path to adulthood while seeking to uncover roadblocks to success resulting from involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Henry serves on various boards and advisory committees including the University of Houston Downtown School of Public Service where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees and teaches in an adjunct capacity. He also participates in professional certification programs with The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University.

*Henry’s annual salary as superintendent is $0.00.