Texas Youth Commission Faces More Inquiries, Following Alleged Abuses

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Texas Youth Commission Faces More Inquiries, Following Alleged Abuses - Saturday, August 28, 2010

UPDATED: The Texas Youth Commission, in the midst of reform following a spate of sexual abuse and other corruption in its facilities IN 2007, encountered a new round of scrutiny this week, following a letter from state and national juvenile justice advocates to the U.S. Department of Justice seeking further investigation. After interviewing youth and touring facilities, the advocates are asking DOJ to look into TYC's manner of restraining youth in its facilities, effectiveness in preventing youth-on-youth violence, and quality of educational and mental health services and support for kids at TYC.

Texans Care for Children partners and Juvenile Justice Roundtable members, Texas Appleseed and Advocacy, Inc., sent the letter along with two national organizations, the National Center for Youth Law and the Center for Public Representation.

To read the full letter, click here.
To read TYC's response, click here.

You can also read reports from the Austin American-Statesman on the letter itself, follow-up discussions of a possible hearing in the Texas Legislature, and the resignation of the TYC ombudsman.

Texans Care for Children staff attended a TYC board meeting Friday to learn more about the agency's response, which was also reported about in the Statesman.