tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post2607698659639328496..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Most speakers at Sunset hearing oppose TYC, TJPC mergerGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15456194918411469882009-01-06T07:34:00.000-06:002009-01-06T07:34:00.000-06:001/4 8:24 PM The Sunset Commission recommended abol...1/4 8:24 PM The Sunset Commission recommended abolishing both current agencies and creating 1 department to oversee juvenile justice in Texas, not to abolish TYC and let the kids run free. Reform in the system of juvenile justice is long overdue. Senator Whitmire is on the right track and here's hoping the Sunset Commission agrees. Just don't place any current administrative staff of TJPC or TYC in the new department's staff and we will move on, otherwise it will be the "status quo" that remains in the juvenile system currently. Watching Senator Hegar and Representative Isett at the hearings it seems they may be in favor of the recommendation that Sunset Staff proposed and many in the field of probation agree.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-62330840697572762332009-01-04T20:24:00.000-06:002009-01-04T20:24:00.000-06:00The idea that you can abolish TYC and TJPC is simp...The idea that you can abolish TYC and TJPC is simply hilarious. Where will you put them? The youth in TYC are not truant family code violating misdemeanants. These are youth, who for the most part, have chronic patterns of offending. Just want to keep letting them run rampant?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-25968675891443751302009-01-01T01:16:00.000-06:002009-01-01T01:16:00.000-06:00When the Sunset Commission meets again on January ...When the Sunset Commission meets again on January 12 I hope they have read these posts. Even though they are all anonymous the posts say volumes for the state that TYC and TJPC are in. I am sure most of the probation departments would speak out against TJPC in private settings but are fearful of pronouncing their disdain for them in the public eye. I am sure most of the TYC employees are great people but a few spoil everything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17089506314333848142008-12-31T09:20:00.000-06:002008-12-31T09:20:00.000-06:00Can'speak much for TYC but TJPC sure needs a kick ...Can'speak much for TYC but TJPC sure needs a kick in the pants. Senator Whitmire needs to take a hard look at them like he has TYC. The counties need what money is funnelled to them through TJPC but the restrictions placed on alot of the funds makes it hard to fully utilize the funds. Then they come up with standards that will cost the counties to implement but don't provide the funding to cover their mandates. The standards process has been a joke with TJPC not listening to the issues that will arise for us small departments with detention facilities. It is hard enough to get detention officers and now they want to test them? The fear of being investigated keeps them from wanting to correct a childs behavior problems when it occurs and thus the kids get out of control. I hear at TYC they have the same issues. Sunset commission, HELP US.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-29458917188260201482008-12-30T18:04:00.000-06:002008-12-30T18:04:00.000-06:0008:39 said:The smaller, remote facilities simply a...08:39 said:<BR/>The smaller, remote facilities simply are a waste of taxpayer money. Give them to another agency and move TYC to the larger cities.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, move them to the large cities where there are no gangs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-72556564242521324352008-12-30T11:54:00.000-06:002008-12-30T11:54:00.000-06:00Just hope the legislators agree and follow thru wi...Just hope the legislators agree and follow thru with the abolishment of TYC and TJPC. The world would be a better place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-49320376367472322042008-12-29T20:06:00.000-06:002008-12-29T20:06:00.000-06:00AMEN 11:08. Well said.AMEN 11:08. Well said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-68481377523437366322008-12-29T11:08:00.000-06:002008-12-29T11:08:00.000-06:00I agree with the Christmas poster (guy must have n...I agree with the Christmas poster (guy must have no life though posting on Christmas Day). It may cost in the beginning but in the long haul it will be more cost effective. Working in the CPS venue I see too many kids in the foster care and juvenile justice system that if they had services on the front end they would not be in the situation they are in now. I am now in the probation field and I see TJPC's proposed standards coming down the pike and, as a previous poster stated "Give The Kids The Keys To The Jail". They are manipulative enough to know they will be able to disrupt all daily activity in lockdown facilities. The debate on "minimum standards" should be resolved. I do think a clean slate would serve the state better than the 2 current agencies. Consolidation is a perfect option as long as none of the current administration is left from each department to bring in the "status quo" mentality. The exception may be Ms. Townsend who just arrived. Start fresh, get rid of the current ombudsman and I like the idea of "experience" on the board. That is what has hurt boards all around the country, too many people on them who don't know anything about what they are dealing with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-36050023224624223842008-12-26T13:32:00.000-06:002008-12-26T13:32:00.000-06:00Don't label our hero, Whitty.Don't label our hero, Whitty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-20457134225014485242008-12-26T09:06:00.000-06:002008-12-26T09:06:00.000-06:00Christmas poster: your proposal makes sense, excep...Christmas poster: your proposal makes sense, except for one little factor - money. It would cost a great deal more money to do what you are proposing. The legislature has shown tremendous reluctance to spend money on Human Services, especially mental health services and youth services. That has been the problem all along. <BR/><BR/>If you watch the hearings, going back in the archives as far as they have video archives, you will see that the mood of the leaders of the legislature has consistently been one of lock 'em up, get tough, and spend as little money as possible. That is what was behind the creation of those 96 bed open-bay monstrosities in the first place. There was a lot of table pounding by a little bald guy back then, just as now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15534283981649440392008-12-25T20:42:00.000-06:002008-12-25T20:42:00.000-06:00Why not combine the 2? I realize the counties are...Why not combine the 2? I realize the counties are afraid of being swallowed up in a mega agency but with the issues they have with TJPC can it be any worse? I will take my chances. Abolish, consolidate, put in place a funding system exactly as the current funding structure is for the counties, expand grants for prevention services and let's move on. Develop "minimal standards" for the county departments to operate by, reward those counties that strive to keep kids out of TYC financially, it will pay off in the long run. Create 3 TYC facilities to house the violent offenders and contract with smaller placement facilities for the non-violent felonies and chronic misdemeanants. Supplement the placements with the savings from TYC committments. The OIG currently in place at TYC can perform all investigations of abuse and neglect. 1 training unit, 1 IT department, 1 administrative unit and place parole in the hands of the county departments with adequate funding and disciplinary, sanctions, recommittment abilities. Place chiefs and TYC personnel on the new board, do away with inexperienced public members. Create an advisory council made up of experts with EXPERIENCE from each discipline. The state can boost the MHMR services throughout the state. Easy to do. Let the sun set on TYC and TJPC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-24305303723188969442008-12-24T22:09:00.000-06:002008-12-24T22:09:00.000-06:00WOW! I had no clue there were issues in the Texas ...WOW! I had no clue there were issues in the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission like what I see here. The legislators really did know what they were doing by recommending abolishing both agencies and starting from scratch. I just hope they are smart enough to involve experts from the probation, incarceration and parole aspects when forming this new department. Without input from the ones who actually work the areas there will continue to be a ineffective department dealing with our juvenile issues in Texas. Bigger sounds like is better in this case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76162619289768471682008-12-22T15:14:00.000-06:002008-12-22T15:14:00.000-06:00NOt only are the officers in TYC scared to discipl...NOt only are the officers in TYC scared to discipline kids so are the county detention officers. We are afraid if we touch a juvenile he can go to a phone and make an allegation then we are suspended pending an investigation. We have so many juveniles that are out of control that occasionally you have to restrain one to keep staff or other's safe. Fact of life in a detention center. There is no such thing as a perfect restraint but TJPC investigates allegations as if there were perfect PRT's every time, yet they are not even trained in the techniques. TJPC is out of control, they just hide it better than TYC. Goosbye to both.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-74064437714453468402008-12-22T12:04:00.000-06:002008-12-22T12:04:00.000-06:00AMEN 9:05. You just said what everyone thinks.AMEN 9:05. You just said what everyone thinks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-53274830192904512802008-12-22T12:02:00.000-06:002008-12-22T12:02:00.000-06:00Speaking from experience when you place all the bi...Speaking from experience when you place all the big city kids with some from smaller areas then the gangs take over. All the Houston gangs will control that area, San Antonio gangs control the facility in theirs and so on. The Missouri concept is all well and fine for Missouri, not Texas. Maybe some facilities need to close or merge but the kids do not need to control the facilities as is happening with all the regulations the officers have placed on them. The kids run us because we have to watch how we discipline them. I have more control over my 11 and 13 year olds at home than what we can do in the facility and the kids in TYC know we are scared to discipline them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-33293765558884453622008-12-22T09:18:00.000-06:002008-12-22T09:18:00.000-06:00And just where do you plan to locate these in the ...And just where do you plan to locate these in the big cities? NIMBY is the rule. There is a long history of it. The one that is located very close to a big city is Al Price - wouldn't it be wonderful for the kids in TYC if all of the units had the staffing problems Al Price has had? Check you facts before running your typing keys!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-83204667662369314192008-12-21T20:39:00.000-06:002008-12-21T20:39:00.000-06:00The smaller, remote facilities simply are a waste ...The smaller, remote facilities simply are a waste of taxpayer money. Give them to another agency and move TYC to the larger cities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51737641033250028402008-12-21T20:34:00.000-06:002008-12-21T20:34:00.000-06:00Close the small facilities? Isn't the opposite of ...Close the small facilities? Isn't the opposite of the vaunted Missouri model?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63346868554065972132008-12-20T19:44:00.000-06:002008-12-20T19:44:00.000-06:00To the Sunset Commission: With the postings here ...To the Sunset Commission: With the postings here you can see there are issues, both with TYC and TJPC. TYC seems to get the bulk of the publicity BUT TJPC has as much baggage, even though they put on a great poker face. I don't know much about TJPC but looking at these and the other postings towards the front I think the commission would be wise to investigate further the issues at TJPC. Chief's on the board seem to make sense. Transparency and standards issues also seem to be issues. I would venture to guess that upper administration can talk a good game but can't put their money where their mouth is. TYC is broke, everyone knows it. Can the new lady fix it? I sincerely believe she can but will Whitmire allow her to do so? Maybe another 2 years to allow SB 103 to work might be the best thing to do but can we afford to wait 2 more years? A big concern is who will run the new department if it takes place. Maybe Ms. Townsend is the person to run the big agency. Close the small facilities, merge the 2 agencies and let's move on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-40472181610133693772008-12-19T21:05:00.000-06:002008-12-19T21:05:00.000-06:00Well I hope it is all over. A new agency needs to...Well I hope it is all over. A new agency needs to be created. The few chiefs that spoke up did not come right out and pleade for TJPC to stay around. There were so many others watching that could have spoke up but were too afraid to. They speek in closed doors about how horrible TJPC is to work with but they are afraid to speak up because Spriggs and her henchmen were watching taking notes. You know the ones that said anything derrogatory will soon see the wrath of the monitors or the abuse and neglect team. Vengance is mine sayeth TJPC. There are so many ways they can mess with a county department it is unreal. If there are not some major changes made at TJPC then the county departments might as well kiss it all goodbye. "Transparency" and "representation" were brought up. The chiefs on the board is a great idea, embraced my a majority of those in the field. There needs to be someone overseeing TJPC for a change that knows what is going on. Where is the advisory council? Who is the advisory council? Is there an advisory council? Someone keep an eye on TJPC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-64239429535553411502008-12-19T14:01:00.000-06:002008-12-19T14:01:00.000-06:00That old German guy they've got up there in Rome r...That old German guy they've got up there in Rome right now could probably run TYC! He seems to be a pretty tough little guy. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59454365070330814482008-12-19T07:58:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:58:00.000-06:00Good one 7:35. She did not have the right savior ...Good one 7:35. She did not have the right savior looking out for her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-74206330666541332502008-12-19T07:57:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:57:00.000-06:00Another "big dog" here but just a probation office...Another "big dog" here but just a probation officer. I spend more time on watching my butt to make sure I am following the "Standards" than actually working with the child. Dallas has a very tough internal auditor and she watches us closely. I started out in institutions and I understand from some of my buddies still there that the new standards are going to make life miserable. To define minimal standards= BASICS ONLY. Let the county departments decide if caseplans are needed or not, how to do disciplinary hearings and how to correct a out of control youth in detention. The new standards won't even let a detention facility correct a juvenile's inappropriate behavior before it gets out of hand. God bless the detention workers, their job will just get harder to do. Then who do we hire?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-33044556084961800942008-12-19T07:35:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:35:00.000-06:00The "Pope" did try to run TYC. How soon you all fo...The "Pope" did try to run TYC. How soon you all forget :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-29419925746510721552008-12-19T06:42:00.000-06:002008-12-19T06:42:00.000-06:00TJPC and TYC need all the help they can get.TJPC and TYC need all the help they can get.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com