TJJD News & Announcements

You’ve likely heard the terms “implicit bias,” and “racial and ethnic disparities”(RED). These phrases are being absorbed into our culture and serving as guideposts toward more equitable systems. At TJJD, the RED Working Group has promoted several changes as it strives to create a better workplace and improve the environment for youth at TJJD, said Shelley McKinley, chairwoman of the TJJD RED Working Group and assistant superintendent of education at TJJD. To kick off its efforts, the RED group trained with a national expert in juvenile justice, Mark Soler. (See him here speaking about disproportionate minority contact .) Soler offered guidance as the group set goals and reached to elevate the conversation about racial and ethnic inequities. RED IS VITAL TO BEST PRACTICES Soler worked with TJJD as part of the YICPM program – Youth in Custody Practice Model -- in which the Texas agency is aligning its operations with national, research-based, best practices. YICPM requires par

GAINESVILLE, Texas – The Gainesville State School “Men Of Distinction” arose early on Valentine’s Day, with one thing on their minds: To bake valentines cookies. The cookies they prepared were oval shaped sugar cookies adorned with red and pink hearts. The youth collected them into little red gift bags with a shimmery gloss. They added three chocolate heart shaped valentine candies to each carefully packaged bag, taking pride in ensuring each one was just right. They arrived at the Pecan Creek Nursing and Rehab center in Gainesville with their goodies in tow. They met up with the Activity Coordinator Meagan Arrington who identified the residents who could have a goodie bag. Gainesville Dorm Supervisor  Carla Lane said the residents were very excited to see the boys and find out that they were bringing Valentine’s Day gifts. “Are those for us?, I haven’t had a sweet in a long time,” said one of the residents. The young men presented each of 25 residents with a  gift bag.

The RED (Racial and Ethnic Disparities) Workgroup, begun in 2016 at TJJD, includes about two dozen active members from central office and staff at facilities. In 18 months of focused work, their brainstorming has produced significant changes at the agency aimed at reducing racial and ethnic inequities and unfair treatment that can arise when these issues are left unexamined. RED REPORT CARDS One major accomplishment has been the establishment of RED Report Cards. These are used to track “security referrals” and “use of force” incidents by race and ethnicity. This tracking, done twice a year at each secure facility, enables staff to look at whether use of force and security referrals are meted out disproportionately. A security referral is when a youth is asked to go to a security setting to maintain safety for others. TJJD statistics reveal that over the years African-American youth have received security referrals at a higher rate than their white and Hispanic counterparts in t

GIDDINGS, Texas – “Fill the Gap” was the theme for Giddings State School’s second Bill Glass Behind the Walls event held on Feb. 9. For the opening act, a two-man dance group named M.A.D.N.E.S.S. entertained the students. The group’s quirky humor and inspiring stories of finding faith drew the youth’s full attention. The group wrapped up with a heartfelt rap about God, faith, and staying strong on their paths. The keynote presenter was Keith Davis, ex-NFL defensive back for the New York Giants who also played with USC in two Rose Bowl championships. Davis, who lives in Dallas, used stories from his own childhood and from playing football to teach youth about faith and finding God. Davis expertly used the reference “fill the gap,” which is frequently used in football for defensive plays, to teach youth that they have to fill their own gap and they should do so by believing and trusting that God will help them find their way. Davis also wowed the audience with feats of strength inc

Cherish Yenzer, a curriculum developer who’s been with the agency since 2014, is the February 2018 recipient of the TJJD Employee Excellence Award. Yenzer has worked on developing curricula for Juvenile Health; Juvenile Rights; Professional Communication; Professional Ethics and Reporting; Human Trafficking; Use of Force; Gang Awareness and other training modules. She works exceptionally hard to produce quality work, collaborates in a positive way with peers to find workable solutions to issues and takes great pride in all that she accomplishes, says her supervisor Kristy Almager, director of the Juvenile Justice Training Academy. Yenzer receives a certificate of appreciation and the option of choosing a $50 gift card or 8 hours of executive leave.

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Youth at the Brownwood PAWS program trained this service dog candidate, Templeton, last year. Now Templeton has gone on to change a life of a teenager who was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a car wreck. Katie’s first service dog died at just 7 years old, leaving her in a very tough position. She depends upon having a service dog to maintain her independence during the afternoons after her caregiver leaves. At the same time, Templeton made the tough cut for becoming a service dog but his match fell through at the last minute. Staff at Service Dogs Inc. in Dripping Springs felt so awful for Katie they decided to place Templeton with her despite the fact that she’d moved away to Seattle. Templeton retrieves things Katie needs such as the remote for the lights so she can go to sleep or an emergency call button/phone. He helps her get undressed and puts her legs back on her wheelchair. Templeton started out at Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Insti

BROWNWOOD, Texas -- The Metamorphosis Group, which works with youth who’re struggling with self-worth and related issues, is off to a successful start at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex. After winding up the first session with nine girls in December, volunteer group leaders Carl and Lorinda Bodiford are launching two new groups with 18 students this week. The group that finished in December followed a Christian curriculum that stresses everyone has a purpose in life and that the rough times the girls are going through are temporary. The six weeks course, based on the life cycle of a butterfly, uses scripture to emphasize that each person is created by God for a specific purpose. The last and most powerful lesson centered on forgiveness and the freedom that forgiveness brings. The class culminated with the release of balloons on which each student had the opportunity to write the names of people in their lives who needed forgiveness as well as act

TJJD has just launched a new FB page to promote our Pairing Achievement With Service (PAWS) program and to find families to adopt trained dogs. Please like the page and share it with your friends! PAWS at TJJD PAWS pairs TJJD youth with shelter dogs and service dog candidates. Qualified boys and girls age 15-18 are responsible for providing daily care, training, and companionship to their dogs. The dogs live with their human trainers for a minimum of 12 weeks while they while... they increase their adoptability by training them for the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Certification, a test designed to ensure basic good manners, while the youth gain skills such as relationship-building, patience, communication, perseverence, teamwork, and how to set and achieve goals to help them as they prepare to reintegrate into society. Youth who are interested in the PAWS program must apply and meet strict behavior criteria, while the dogs are fostered from local animal shelter partners after being

By Smith County Juvenile Services In 2017, Smith County Juvenile Services teamed up with the Texas Ramp Project, Camp Tyler and PATH to help build 20 ramps for children, the elderly and disabled people. Smith County Juvenile Services staff members and juvenile probationers helped construct 16 ramps for the Texas Ramp Project in 2017, as well as one for People Attempting to Help (PATH). They also built three ramps and repaired another at Camp Tyler this year, David Peters, vocational instructor for Smith County Juvenile Services, reported. On December 21, Peters, Juvenile Services Director Ross Worley and Smith County Court-at-Law No. 3 Judge Floyd Getz took five of Juvenile’s HOPE Academy residents to Camp Tyler, where they ended the year by building three ramps on cabins there. Peters said they plan to return to Camp Tyler this year to do a ramp repair and do some concrete work. HOPE Academy is a residential program for male juvenile offenders, focusing on behavior modifi

Velre Boyd, an investigator with the Administrative Investigations Division (AID), has been with TJJD/TYC for more than 27 years. She’s dedicated her career to protecting youth rights through her work with AID. Boyd stands out as cool under pressure, conducting investigations with grace and demonstrating compassion to all parties involved, her supervisors say. This was evident to all when she had to act as the sole investigator at a facility while a colleague was on leave. During this time, Boyd had to investigate the death of a youth in custody while also handling all other local AID investigations. Her supervisors, who know the difficulty and sadness associated with investigating a youth death, were impressed with how she never buckled while working under considerable pressure. Boyd is a relentless, thorough, dedicated investigator and a tremendous asset to the agency, says AID Director Kevin DuBose. Boyd also has worked as a case manager and youth rights specialist at TJJD.

AUSTIN, Texas – TJJD would like to recognize the following employees who have received a tenure award since November 2017. On behalf of the agency, we extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for their dedication and service to the State of Texas. November 2017 FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE Matthew S. Crocker, Evins Isabel Silva,  Evins Corina C. Almanza,  Gainesville Ramiro Hernandez,  Giddings Dawn D A. Klecak,  Giddings Jennifer J. Southern,  McLennan CSJCF Kathy S. Lillie,  McLennan CSJCF Sabrina C. Arellano,  McLennan RTC Gavin J. Middleton,  Ron Jackson TEN YEARS OF SERVICE Christina M. Corpus-Ybarra,  Austin Cynthia J. Brown,  Austin Sandra L. Lane,  Gainesville Rachel L. Lively,  Gainesville Cassandra E. Reyes,  Gainesville Sonja L. Herrington,  Giddings Eric S. Mattocks,  Giddings Tatrina S. Bailey-Josephs,  Giddings Brenda J. Diles,  McLennan CSJCF Ellen J. Boston,  Region 4 East Jonatan E. Beelby,  Ron Jackson Shala D. Flock,  Ron Jackson Cathy Ro

DALLAS, Texas –  Youth at Cottrell took the lead in selecting the new look for their dorm rooms and living areas. “The youth gathered together and discussed themes in which would be an inspiration, leisure activity, or a future goal to help guide them,” said Cottrell Superintendent Marketa Johnson. The result: An homage to football, basketball and living right. The youths painted the term “SWAG” on the wall in a crisp, graphic design and spelled out what it stands for -- Success, Willpower, Attitude, Goals. They stenciled basketball players and hoops on another wall, which now declares “Shoot for Your Goals!” Staff at Cottrell used the home improvement exercise to engage the youth in the Youth in Custody Practice Model (YICPM) that sets new goals for TJJD to “soften the environment” for kids in custody, thus creating a more productive living and learning setting, Johnson said. The teens took their task to heart, painting the sports iconography and even replicatin