County juvenile probation agencies produce better results for less money than state youth lockups, according to a report by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. The report also says counties need more funds and oversight. 

The incoming director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on how his experience has prepared him for his new role and how he'll solve the problems that have long plagued the state's juvenile system.

The Texas Juvenile Justice Board on Friday voted to hire Michael Griffiths to be the next leader of the youth justice agency as it struggles to improve security and safety at its juvenile correctional facilities.

Instead of continuing to spend millions on problem-plagued secure facilities operated by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, juvenile justice reform advocates say legislators should invest more in local probation departments.

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is undergoing a review of all youths in its system to better assess security threats, but advocates worry it will become a tool to recommend more youths for imprisonment in adult facilities. 

For years they’ve been the Butch and Sundance of Texas criminal justice policy. Republican state Rep. Jerry Madden and Democrat state Sen. John Whitmire have helped lead a sea change in the adult and juvenile prison systems. But the team is breaking up. 

Gov. Rick Perry's "happy warrior" is coming to the rescue again for the state's troubled youth lockups. Jay Kimbrough will serve as special assistant for safety and security at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Five years after Texas lawmakers overhauled the juvenile justice system, reports of violence, inappropriate staff behavior and poor mental health services at youth lockups are spurring calls for accountability and continued reform. 

A new survey of youths at the Giddings State School finds they feel safe and hopeful about their future but still worry about violence by other youths.

Aaronson and Tan interactively map women's health program providers in Texas, Galbraith talks to the state's climatologist about (what else?) the drought, Grissom with the latest on violence in youth prisons, Hamilton on why UTEP's low four-year graduation rate may not matter, Murphy's interactive comparing graduation rates and more at public universities in Texas, Ramsey on the redistricting end game (we think), Ramshaw on the state health commissioner's attack on Planned Parenthood and Root on the closing of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's storied Austin bureau: The best of our best content from February 27 to March 2, 2012.

A Tribune report on increasing youth-on-youth violence at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities has advocates calling for an investigation into systemic problems at the agency.

With the closure of two previous youth agencies, lawmakers and advocates hope to see cost savings and better results out of the new Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Since abuse scandals rocked the Texas juvenile justice system in 2007, reforms have led to fewer youths in prison and less crime among youths, but a national report issued Tuesday indicates Texas could still do better.

The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting.

Texas youths who get crossways with the law could soon find themselves under the supervision of a new state juvenile justice agency whose main mission is to keep young offenders close to home and quickly headed in a more positive direction.

Hours after the state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would merge the state's two juvenile criminal justice agencies, a House committee passed a similar bill.

Jennifer Stayton of KUT News talked with author Sherry Matthews about her new book on the Waco State Home, a troubled youth facility that operated until the 1970s. Matthews says that for some alumni of the youth facility, life there remains too painful a memory to recount.

Judges across the state, and particularly in Harris County, are sending youth offenders to adult prisons even when they have few prior offenses, according to a study by a University of Texas criminal justice expert.