Progress is being made in fixing the broken Texas Youth Commission.

The Texas Senate unanimously approved fundamental changes in the Texas Youth Commission on Thursday, supporting efforts to reduce the population at its facilities, improve staff-to-offender ratios and require enhanced training for guards.

Senate Bill 103, by Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, passed 30-0, and is part of the promised overhaul of an agency reeling from accusations that incarcerated youths have been sexually and physically abused by staff at many of the state's 15 correctional facilities.

The Senate is trying "to rebuild, restructure TYC from the bottom up," he said, adding that his bill would create "checks and balances, a wide open system that is transparent. It'll change the whole culture in the way we treat our young people."

Soon after the bill passed, agency officials announced the firing of a high-ranking official in Austin and the resignation of four of his colleagues. All but one had served on the agency's executive council, and all, said spokesman Jim Hurley, "were on board when the agency failed in a spectacular way on a national stage. All were running the agency when the wheels came off."

Now that the folks who let the agency get out of control are gone, there could be some hope. but whill any of the policians who let the situation get this bad pay a price?

Posted by: Greg at 10:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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