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Friday, March 19, 2010

Texas Youth Commission

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Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

The Texas Youth Commission (TYC) is responsible for overseeing all youth correctional facilities in the state of Texas. It suffered a major abuse scandal in 2007 from which it is still recovering.

Three percent of youth offenders referred to county juvenile probation departments each year are committed to TYC institutions. A juvenile offense is committed when the offender is between the ages of 10 and 17.

In the 2008 fiscal year, 93 percent of youth offenders sent to TYC facilities were male.

In 2008, about a quarter of males sent to TYC institutions were committed for burglary. The most common offense for females committed that year was simple assault.

The TYC is led by an executive director and a board.

The 2007 scandal broke when a Texas Observer story and The Dallas Morning News uncovered allegations of staff-on-inmate sexual abuse at the West Texas State School in Pyote. The allegations expanded to TYC facilities across the state, and revealed systemic physical abuse, medical and emotional mistreatment, and poor living conditions.

The Texas Legislature passed major legislation to reform the commission during the 80th legislative session. 

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