Photo credit: County magazine

What happened: Midland County’s efforts to reduce repeat offenders are the focus of the Summer 2026 cover story of County magazine, published by the Texas Association of Counties. The feature, “Momentum in Midland,” examines the county’s use of Drug Court and the jail-based Pathways to H.O.P.E. program, along with education, treatment, and mentorship, to help keep people from repeatedly returning to the criminal justice system.

The magazine describes county officials increasingly treating accountability and rehabilitation as complementary strategies. Midland County Community Supervision and Corrections Director Allen Bell told the magazine that these programs can help break the cycle that brings people back into the system time and again. According to Bell, the percentage of offenders who completed probation increased from 54% in 2016 to 77% in 2026.

“You have to change thinking to change behavior,” Bell told County.

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The big picture: The magazine covered the 26 Midland County residents who graduated from Midland County Drug Court in May. Drug Court is a specialty court led by Judge Elizabeth Rainey for people with substance addictions who have not been successful under traditional probation. The story noted that for many participants, Drug Court is their final option to avoid prison.

The program progresses participants through five phases and combines intensive judicial supervision with treatment, counseling, drug monitoring, and peer support to help participants overcome substance use while reducing repeat offenses.

Drug Court’s first five-year recidivism study found a 97% success rate among people who completed the program, meaning they had no new felony charges or convictions and had not returned to prison for up to five years after graduation. The magazine notes that Drug Court’s success earned national recognition as a mentor court. It is one of only a handful of specialty courts across the country able to train and guide others.

Rainey told the magazine about her frustration at seeing the same people end up in court time and time again during her tenure as a defense attorney before joining Midland County in 2018.

“We’re working together as a team,” Rainey told County. “Addiction is not just one thing. There’s roots that we need to dig up and get to.”

What they’re saying: The magazine highlights graduate Shaun Ellis, who entered Drug Court in 2021 after addiction, homelessness, and time in prison. He relapsed almost immediately after entering the program but continued through its treatment. Local nonprofit Thriving United helped him find stable housing, and Ellis now works for the organization, providing peer support to others in recovery.

“The program saved my life,” Ellis told County.

Go deeper: The feature also looks at the Midland County Sheriff’s Office’s newer Pathways to H.O.P.E. program that began in early 2026. H.O.P.E. begins as a 40-hour jail-based education program covering topics from financial literacy to relationships, and extends to 18 months of post-release mentorship. The program aims to help offenders identify the underlying causes of their behavior, build life skills, and create a support system.

“We don’t want these folks to stay in the system,” Midland County Sheriff David Criner told County. “It’s a win for us. It’s a win for the individuals that are incarcerated. It’s a win for their families, and it’s a win for society.”

The article highlighted a former Tarrant County H.O.P.E. program participant, Tom McAfee, who credited the program’s lessons and mentorship for turning his life around. McAfee is now a program mentor and instructor who helps the Midland County program.

The magazine noted that according to Tarrant County, which has been running the H.O.P.E. program longer than Midland County, recidivism among program graduates is in the single digits. Midland County’s program hasn’t been running long enough yet to measure its long-term results.

Midland County’s jail commissary funds the H.O.P.E. program.

What’s next: You can read the full article or watch the accompanying video by the Texas Association of Counties.