August 1, 2024
Federal investigators accuse TJJD of engaging in a “pattern of abuse” at its five secure facilities across the state: Evins Regional Juvenile Center in Edinburg, Gainesville State School in Gainesville, Giddings State School in Giddings, McClennan <sic> County State Juvenile Correctional Facility (Mart) in Mart, Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex in Brownwood
The DOJ says it inspected all of the sites multiple times, spoke to hundreds of children in custody as well as TTJD staff, and watched hundreds of hours of videos.
Investigators found the state uses excessive force on children, both physical and chemical, such as pepper spray. Youth spend prolonged periods in isolation, posing a serious threat to their mental health and well-being. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) does not adequately protect children from sexual abuse by staff or other children.
“In addition to these horrific conditions, we found that TJJD deprives children of mental health treatment and special education services, which undermines children’s rehabilitation and sets them up to fail, both within the facilities and in the long term,” said Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/doj-investigation-finds-unconstitutional-conditions-at-texas-juvenile-justice-facilities-pattern-of-abuse
TJJD Response: https://www.tjjd.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TJJD-Response-to-DOJ-8-1-2024.pdf