TJJD News & Announcements

Two special dogs, both graduates of our Pairing Achievement With Success (PAWS) program at our Ron Jackson facility in Brownwood, have received excellent care, training and attention from our youth trainers and are now ready for adoption. Oreo, a very calm, laid-back Bassett Hound mix who loves attention and meeting new people, weighs about 35 lbs.  She is a younger dog between one and three years old.  She is a cuddler and loves children.  Oreo is a quick learner,  has passed all of the elements of the Canine Good Citizen test and loves to investigate her surroundings while on walks.  Her trainer says “she is a happy dog who brings a good spirit with her.” Luna is a year-old Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog (the State Dog of Louisiana) who weighs approximately 68 lbs. She is very smart but sometimes has a mind of her own. She really needs clear instructions and would do best with someone who knows about dogs and especially her kind of hound dog breed. She ...

TJJD would like to recognize the following employees who have received a tenure award September-October of 2015. On behalf of the agency, we extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for their dedication and service to the State of Texas. September 2015 FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE Bobby R. Jacobs, McLennan RTC Calvin D. Berger, Giddings Charles H. Scott, McLennan CSJCF Crizelda V. Litif, Evins Jennifer K. Bennett, McLennan CSJCF Jennifer M. Betancourt, Evins Juan M. Cervantes, Evins Michelle M. Cohen, Austin (Finance) Patricia I. Osazuwa, Giddings Raynita M. Christopher, Gainesville TEN YEARS OF SERVICE Betty J. Neal, Ron Jackson Brandon K. Menefee, McLennan CSJCF Danna G. Beane, Ron Jackson O&A Jannetta P. Williams, Ron Jackson Jerquandrick D. Seaton, Cottrell HWH Jorge Matta, Schaeffer HWH Nicole A. Brewer, McLennan CSJCF Perry W. Stewart, Gainesville Romekka P. Petty, Gainesville Tania E. Williams, Giddings Todd A. Hanks, McLennan RTC FIFTEEN YEARS OF SERVIC...

This past legislative session, House Bill 2372 (84R) reduced the number of initial training hours juvenile correctional officers must receive from 300 to 240 prior to being considered eligible to provide sole-supervision, or when an officer independently has the ability to supervise youth alone.  An additional 60 hours of training is still required within the first year of employment.  As of October 1, TJJD began implementing this new schedule. In anticipation of this legislation moving forward, there were several primary areas of focus when discussing how the agency trains new hires to ensure a successful transition to meeting the objectives of this bill that included: improving the quality of training (curriculum and delivery); adding additional on-the-job training; adding a coaching and mentoring component; making training more realistic; and making training more learner centered (versus lecture based). By reducing the number of required hours up front, it all...

On Saturday, September 26th, the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary visited the Mart facility, and delivered an “Americanism” presentation to a select group of youth. The purpose of the Saturday Enhancement Activities are to provide opportunities for youth to learn and participate in activities that will help to enhance career development, employability skills, self-sufficiency, family reintegration and self-advocacy. These activities also provide positive behavior incentives for youth, and aid in population management on the weekends. AMVETS is a volunteer organization made up entirely of veterans.  They were the first World War II organization to be chartered by Congress.  President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 216 chartering AMERICAN VETERANS WORLD WAR II on December 10, 1944.  The local chapters of the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary work in five main areas of service:  Scholarship, Hospital, Child Welfare, Community Service, and of course Americanism.  Each local Aux...

The TJJD tattoo removal program begins this month, with the first removal clinic is scheduled for January 28, 2016 at the Giddings State School.  The program will have the use of the latest laser tattoo removal machine that is less invasive than previous machine and requires minimal wound care. To utilize this service, a youth must make a request to his/her case manager for tattoo removal.  The case manager will then take the request to the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) for review.  Once MDT approves the request, consents from youth and parents will be obtained.  Priority for removal services is given to tattoos that are visible on the hands, arms, face, or neck, or those that reflect gang affiliation. Then youth will be scheduled for an initial consultation with the Medical Director, at which time a treatment plan will be developed.  Qualified and trained technicians will be doing the tattoo removal services. Complete removal of a tattoo may require three ...

Reprinted from the Search Institute Connect, the official blog of the Search Institute Historically, the juvenile justice system has operated from a deficit-based mentality. “The system would identify problems and try to fix those problems. This ends up being a very negative approach,” says Williamson County (TX) Juvenile Services (WCJS) Executive Director Scott Matthew. This is why around 7 years ago Matthew began looking at how WCJS—which includes a detention center, residential facilities, an on-site school, and community prevention programs—could take a positive approach in their work with youth and families. “These youth are already in what is perceived to be a negative place in a negative situation, so expanding on the positives they have going for them is very powerful.” That’s when Matthew found The Georgetown Project, a community initiative in Williamson County that has been building Developmental Assets in the lives of youth since the 1990s. Matthew met with The Geo...

In 2010, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) in collaboration with the Office of Acquired Brain Injury (OABI), piloted a program to identify youth involved in the justice system that may have presented with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI).  The collaboration between TJJD and the OABI established objectives to identify justice-involved youth with a TBI utilizing the Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire (BISQ) in an effort to provide “pathways to services” designed to reduce recidivism, foster healthier individuals and improve cognitive and emotional regulation skills. Through the collaboration developed between the TJJD and the OABI, the El Paso County Juvenile Justice Center was able to develop a partnership with Dr. Wayne Gordon at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Brain Injury Research Center.  The partnership was designed to afford services to justice-involved youth identified with a TBI.  Through this collaborative effort the development of the...