The Texas Juvenile Justice Department doesn’t have enough staff to keep minors safe or deal with increasing suicidal behavior, its interim head says. Gov. Greg Abbott recently shifted millions of dollars from the long-troubled agency to his controversial border security mission.
Juvenile Justice
Texas’ youth prisons have long been in crisis. They’re under federal investigation for an alleged pattern of abuse and mistreatment and are dangerously understaffed. In 2021, the turnover rate for detention officers reached 70%, with most new hires gone within six months. Short-staffing has left children locked in their cells most of the day, sometimes without access to bathrooms. Youths are harming themselves and engaging in other dangerous behavior. The Texas Tribune is covering updates on the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and juvenile courts.
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Juvenile Justice
U.S. Department of Justice investigating abuse, mistreatment at Texas’ juvenile lockups
The department says it’s looking into whether the Texas Juvenile Justice Department provides “reasonable protection from physical and sexual abuse by staff and other residents, excessive use of chemical restraints and excessive use of isolation.”