Plagued by decades of scandals over sexual and physical abuse of children, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department is at a crossroads.
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
In a Central Texas county, high schoolers are jailed on felony charges for vaping what could be legal hemp
Police often can’t tell if a cannabis vape pen is derived from marijuana or legal hemp, like the delta-8 products on display in gas stations across Texas. That doesn’t stop them from making felony arrests in high schools.
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Juvenile Justice
Texas teens embark on an idealistic quest to shut down the state’s last five youth prisons
Spurred by reports of inhumane conditions at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, Austin-area teenagers are lobbying the Legislature to reform the system.
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Juvenile Justice
Pay raises alone won’t solve staffing shortages in “nightmare” Texas youth prisons, ex-workers say
Danger and trauma — not low salaries — are what drive most workers to leave the crisis-wracked Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
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Juvenile Justice
Tarrant County sends more kids to youth prisons than any other in Texas. Many blame this judge.
Critics say state District Judge Alex Kim is sending too many children to the state’s failing youth prison system. The longtime GOP politician points to a rise in teen gang violence.
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Juvenile Justice
In Texas youth prisons, children trapped in their cells use water bottles and lunch trays for toilets
Gov. Greg Abbott largely remained silent as dangerous conditions caused by a lack of staff persisted at Texas juvenile facilities during the summer.
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Juvenile Justice
Lawmakers decry collapsing Texas juvenile prison system, ask Abbott to call special session
Without a jolt of funding, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department will struggle to hire workers and regain control over the safety and treatment of almost 600 incarcerated youth, its acting director told lawmakers at a hearing.
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Juvenile Justice
A mother watches helplessly as her teenage boy deteriorates in a Texas youth prison
The state of Texas has essentially controlled her son’s life since he was 11. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department was supposed to keep him safe and help him get better. It has failed at every turn.
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Juvenile Justice
Almost 600 Texas youths are trapped in a juvenile prison system on the brink of collapse
The agency is so understaffed that teens have reported spending up to 23 hours locked in their cells, using water bottles to go to the bathroom. A staggering number have hurt themselves or been placed on suicide watch.
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Juvenile Justice
Inspection reports reflect the desperation and danger youths face in Texas juvenile prisons
Visits to Texas’ severely understaffed youth prisons show suicide attempts without intervention, water bottles being used as makeshift toilets, and a rash of possibly gang-related fights.