By Claudia Silva, The 74

The number of juveniles facing criminal charges for possession of THC concentrates – a felony in Texas – has skyrocketed in recent months.

By Lisa Armstrong, The Texas Tribune
August 3, 2022

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.

By Lucio Vasquez, Houston Public Media
May 30, 2023

A new report from the Texas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that despite most children having “clear mental health needs,” the Texas Juvenile Justice Department lacks enough resources and staff to provide adequate support for detained children. 

By Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune
April 28, 2023

Moving the most violent and troubled youths to adult prison makes it easier to help others in juvenile facilities, some prosecutors and lawmakers say. Youth justice advocates say Texas is giving up on the children who most need help.

By Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune
September 12, 2022

Throughout this summer, children in Texas’ youth prison system have repeatedly been trapped in their cells, forced to urinate in water bottles and defecate on the floor as the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s workforce shrunk below dangerous levels. 

By Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune
August 2, 2022

“Nearing total collapse,” the Texas juvenile prison system is understaffed, overcrowded, and prone to abuse. The staffing crisis has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequences of these chronic issues are harmful to detained kids. 

By Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune
July 7, 2022

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department doesn’t have enough staff to keep minors safe or deal with increasing suicidal behavior, its interim head says. Texas’ juvenile detention system has shut its doors and won’t accept any new kids because it is “hemorrhaging” staff, and officials fear they can’t ensure the safety of the nearly 600 youths already in their custody.

By Emily Wolf, Fort Worth Report

October 3, 2023

An audit examining Tarrant County’s juvenile justice system last year revealed a series of systemic issues: overcrowding, long stays in detention centers and judges hearing few of their assigned cases. These problems impact children of color the most. 

By Catherine Dominguez, Houston Chronicle

September 18, 2023

Several Montgomery County municipalities are removing curfews from their ordinances after Gov. Greg Abbott made it unlawful for cities to enforce curfews for people younger than 18. 

By Josephine Peterson, Dallas Morning News

September 13, 2023

Following months of tension over facility conditions between the juvenile department and commissioners, the Dallas County budget will exempt top department officials from an annual 5% raise.

By Josephine Peterson, Dallas Morning News

August 17, 2023

Dallas County’s Juvenile Department is under state investigation into 11 cases of alleged neglect according to court filings in its lawsuit against commissioners.

By Josephine Peterson, Dallas Morning News

July 13, 2023

The Dallas County Juvenile Board is at the center of an ongoing lawsuit, as two elected officials on the board are being sued by the juvenile department. The board met at the Henry Wade Justice Center on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Dallas. 

By Josephine Peterson, Dallas Morning News

July 12, 2023

Dallas County’s juvenile detention facility is at the center of a new state investigation regarding neglect allegations of children.

By Dallas Morning News Editorial

July 7, 2023

Parents with children in the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice System are so unhappy with the conditions that they wish their teens were incarcerated in adult prison. What does this say about the state of our juvenile detention centers?

By Josephine Peterson, The Dallas Morning News
June 29, 2023

Parents say children in the detention center at Henry Wade are being left in locked cells for the majority of the day, have not been sufficiently fed and some have not received medical care.

By Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune
September 21, 2022

“Tarrant County sends more kids to youth prisons than any other in Texas. Many blame this judge.” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

By William J. Sabol and Thaddeus L. Johnson, Council on Criminal Justice

Despite the disparity between Black and White imprisonment rates falling drastically in the past two decades, Black adults are still imprisoned at 4.9 times the rate of White adults.

By Nyra Jordan, Fast Company

July 12, 2022

There are millions of vacant jobs in America, as well as a crisis of racial discrimination and inequity. Businesses have a responsibility to address both problems, and improving access to employment for justice-impacted individuals can help.

By Sonia A. Rao, The Dallas Morning News

July 20, 2023

The nonprofit Big Thought partnered with the Dallas County Juvenile Department to start Creative Solutions 30 years ago. More than 14,000 youth have gone through the program. And in the past few years, Creative Solutions expanded to work with Tarrant County Juvenile Services as well.

By Christopher De Los Santos, Waco Tribune-Herald

July 19, 2023

Employees at the state juvenile lockup in Mart are eager for the pay raise that begins with their next paycheck Aug. 1, and its leaders hope the bump will boost staffing and morale.