Sexual abuse allegations, suicide attempts follow jump in juvenile offender population

Rather than putting more money into the state juvenile facilities in rural outposts where it is difficult to find qualified staff, advocates said lawmakers should put more funding into local programs that keep youths out of the troublesome lockups and closer to family and support systems in their homes. And they should hold local officials accountable for ensuring that programs effectively serve juveniles so they don't wind up in state custody.
"It will guarantee that very few kids go into state facilities at all and that those few kids can have the resources they need to be successful and, most importantly, be safe," said Elizabeth Henneke, a policy attorney at the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for juvenile justice reforms.

​https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2016/10/28/sexual-abuse-allegations-suicide-attempts-unexpected-jump-juvenile-offender-population