The Latest Breaking News from Texas Juvenile Justice Department

Head of Texas juvenile justice department resigns

It’s not immediately clear why TJJD Executive Director Shandra Carter left the role, which she had held since 2022.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 23

Lawmakers offer stark choices for ending the crisis in Texas’ youth prisons — shut them all down, or build more

Plagued by decades of scandals over sexual and physical abuse of children, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department is at a crossroads.

The Texas Tribune · Mar 9, 2023

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.

The Texas Tribune · Jan 18, 2023

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.

The Texas Tribune · Aug 2, 2022

Understaffed, and under federal investigation, Texas juvenile detention system halts intake

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.

The Texas Tribune · Jul 7, 2022