- Made things better: 10 (4%)
- Made things worse: 138 (63%)
- Bills fine, implementation lousy: 46 (21%)
- Can't tell yet: 26 (12%)
Some legislators have been telling media the agency is now "fixed," and Sen. John Whitmire told Texas Youth Commission leadership last month they were doing a great job. (Even as he said it I could hear the President's words ringing in my ears, "Heckuva job, Brownie.") But 5 times as many Grits readers believed implementation of reforms has been "lousy" as agreed with the senator. More than 15 times as many readers thought the legislation itself was flawed and "made things worse."
One wag pointed out that the ten people who thought the bill made things better coincided roughly with the number of legislators on the joint House-Senate committee overseeing TYC! Even if it were true, that's okay - they get a vote, too. But their's would be a minority position.
Obviously Grits readers are a hyper-informed lot on the subject of TYC. I wonder what the general public thinks about changes at the agency? These results may be skewed, but I'll bet public opinion right now trends in the same direction, if perhaps not as dramatically.
RELATED: Even from afar the view of TYC is grim: At Juvienation, Brooklyn journalist Mark Sorkin poses Eight Questions for the Texas Youth Commission.
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33 comments:
Q: Do the youth incarcerated in TYC facilities across the State of Texas have access to computers where they can access/participate in Blogger Polls such as yours ?
Nope, not to my knowledge.
Youth, may have limited and supervised access to the internet.
TYC has had problems with youth accessing staff personal information, porn, etc... from the internet in the past.
Several students at Hamilton had hacked and obtained access to all of the TYC education staff login ids and password and I mean all. These same students obtained a csw home address, SS#, car make and license # etc... and attempted to blackmail her with the information.
Thank you for the answer. Hopefully, a Reporter or two with the MSM will now talk to those incarcerated in TYC Facilities across the State to get their opinions on " whether new Texas legislation governing the Texas Youth Commission made things better or worse". Since I believe SB 103 was written for both TYC Employees and the youth incarcerated at TYC facilities, I would like to read the opinions of the youth regarding this topic.
As a former TYC educator I can assure you that while IRD tries to censor internet access, their efforts are usually after the fact and when they do shut something down, something else opens for the students to access the internet.
When the ISA as TYC calls it was first rolled out Diana Sawyers (nee Cantu) told us that it was student proff even as our A+ teacher accessed email options on National Geographic. A site that one of the San Saba Students used shortly afterwards to send a threatening email to W.
I think some of them had an opportunity to vote and a few may actually have voted with the legislators, because they have taken over a few facilities at this time.
We have had all kinds of problems with teachers allowing kids unauthorized access to the internet. There seem to be teachers at every unit who do not agree with the rules and wantonly give the kids their logons and allow them access as an "educational" experience. We have also had cases where caseworkers have allowed kids to access the internet on the caseworker's computer, but that is less frequent.
I wonder what is going on in Pyote these days? Any changes?
Pyote is doing great. The Rattlesnake Bomber Base Museum is raking in the dough. There is a new Mexican Food Restuarant that opened up recently. Yep, Pyote is doing great. Thanks for asking.
About Pyote, someone said there is only one job opening now, that the kids had calmed down and that the staff was all happy.
Staff are elated. We have a great assistant superintendent who actually has an open door policy and is willing to listen to staff.
Hows Mart I and II doing these days with all the new changes, have not heard anything?
The behavior and morale at Mart II is horrible!!! It is unbelievable. The staff are worn out and totally beat down. The educators are worse. The new super is trying hard, and is at least visible(he is really trying to make changes which is a novelty)...but he has come into an absolute war zone. Several employees I know have begged legislators, CO, etc., to please come spend a day in the dorms and in the halls of the school (not in fancy suits) and just watch the ABUSE that takes place daily with nothing done about it. I have never heard teachers/staff being so abused--I'm talking vicious tongue lashings, cursings, sexual exposures and such. It is really a very grave and sad situation. Mart II was the showcase facility of TYC. Then, two years ago Mart II took in about 100 of the students from Al Price after Rita. They were totally corrupt, and it totally changed the culture. Then this summer, they took in all of Mart I students and many from Ron Jackson. Too many, too fast, too much blending. It is not a safe thing to do in an incarcerated culture. Now, it is total chaos. The place needs to be locked down and revamped. I am amazed that there hasn't been serious, serious injuries to either staff or students there. Movement looks like a spooked cattle stampedes.
I keep hearing Al Price is the new TYC model, any truth to this or could it be smoke and mirrors to please those in power.
ought do like some of the teachers at evins do. they either give youth internet access or simply access the improper sites for them and or print crap lyrics so as to give them a grade. heard that's what the last crybaby teacher that got fired did for them.
Should have seen the short rough necks in CO from TDCJ. Interviewing. Regional directors. They look like they came from the adult system. Bullshit guys. We don't need 'em. WE will raise all kinds of hell if they bring them on. These buckets look like waste.
Ok, enough Teacher bashing. Here we go accusing all for a few bad apples in the pot. Is that not what has happen to all staff at tyc, we were all accused of doing something wrong because of a couple of bad apples.
Not all teachers give out passwords. Kids are good at getting them. Now Teachers would be the first place a kid would get that from because they spend all day in classroom with teachers who have computers, vs dorm staff who do not have computers displayed in the rooms with kids. If you work at TYC you know some of these kids can steal the shirt off your back while you are wearing it.
There are many more Teachers with common sense that do not give out passwords and are trying to teach these students than there are those with no common sense and should not be working in a correctional facility just like any other dept, staff working at TYC. You weed them out or you train them.
For the non teachers, Teachers are instructed to use Technogology and have to document that your using it on lesson plans. If your not using it , then it is used aganist you on your evaluation. So it is demanded of you to do that teaching. Kids are to use the computers in classrooms , directive from CO and teachers are to create lesson plans from the ISA site. So go figure, teachers are the ones that let this happen! Sure, kids are on computers in SCHOOL.
Alot of the computer problems comes from flaws in the system that comes from CO. But it is still not really anyone's fault, unless they willingly give the kid access to the internet and I am sure that has happen on occassion from those bad apples. But Teachers are not the problem. Once again its the bad apples in the village raising the kids, too.
We could use some staff at Pyote, but the attitude is relatively positive considering all the bashing we've received. Curtis Simmons did a great job in rebuilding our trust, and Billy Hollis is an old member of the family who is doing a great job. I think the new leadership in the training department has been very positive in my opinion. Marty Martin and Cris Burton are actually trying to make training work to improve staff development, as opposed to just meeting legal liability issues. I'm not sure that TYC can be fixed overnight, but I think there is some effort in that direction. How and why Ray Brookins ever got to be our Asst. Superintendent is a mystery that will probably never be explained, but we are trying to fix things. If you are looking for a job with a noble purpose, please consider applying.
If Al Price is the new model for TYC we're all in deep trouble. The superintendent played a major role in covering up the Brookins incident and the assistant's only claim to fame is having worked for TDCJ in the past. Some model!
to 8:56...Is that you Ayo?
One million dollars spent on hand guns, assault rifles, bullet proof vests, GPS navigation equipped cars, and miscellaneous tactical equipment and the new TYC OIG officers are ready to go! Who is all of the heavy fire power for? Is TYC going to use lethal force against TYC youth? It looks like the conversion of TYC to an adult style operation is well on its way. Maybe gun towers will be next. I guess if the pepper spray doesn’t work Pope will have the kids shot. Killing a few youth in front of the others should set the tone for TYC. If any of the staff get out of line Pope can have them popped them too.
Assault rifles and bullet proof vests?!
Por que?
Pyote has excellent employees who do an outstanding job. The only problem they ever had was staff from CO who were not intrested in hearing about the scandal BEFORE it broke out. Employees like Lilly O are to be rewarded for the job they have done and continue to do. Thanks Lilly!
TYC should be ashame of themselves for terminating my contact person. That was the only person who had the guts to stand up to the entire"system" when things were wrong and she didn't care whose toes she stepped on. Belive me things were very wrong here in Gainesville, Al Price and Evins. I went to each facility and she was correct in her findings. They are still wrong in Gainesville - but unfortunately my contact is no longer there so Gainesville will continue doing wrong until they are caught by someone else. I need my job so I will have no choice but to drop my findings or lose my job like my contact did. It's to bad Will Harrell was not able to help and when she went to Pope's office she was told that Pope was in a meeting and there her staff had no idea when she would be available.
Robin you were dead wrong DEAD WRONG in your handling. Maybe once you are removed CO can see the light somewhere else. You and other there deserve the hell you will rot in.
Grits,
Check out today's Dallas Morning News. Two pieces, one on the rising number of lawsuits filed against TYC by juveniles, the other an editorial about Paul Tracy.
Tracy is a criminologist at UT-Dallas, and a former proponent of "juvenile prisons" who advised Bush in the early 90s and played a role in the policy shift toward expanded institutions and tougher sentencing policies.
More recently, he served on the TYC Blue Ribbon panel. Apparently he now has some regret about his past role, although he isn't backtracking that much from his philosophy that some juveniles "ought to be punished" ... it is worth a read.
Bill Bush
9:13, what are you talking about???
WTSS and Crockett used to compete each year as the institutions with the lowest staff turnover and the lowest lost time injury records. Then came Chester and Lydia and their minions who all but destroyed both programs. Thank you so much, Chester, Lydia, Freeman and Brookins! The people of Texas are indebted to you - because without you we would never have had these wonderful reforms that TYC needed so badly! Because of your hard work, TYC now will become the most wonderful juvenile justice program in the nation.
To Gainesville Employees:
I'm so sorry to hear the news about your new superintendent. I'll keep you in my prayers.
Anonymous
What's the news?
Who's the new Supt at Gainesville?
Legistators say TYC is fixed????? Whitmire tells TYC leadership they are doing a good job...uh, hello??? Talk to me WHITTY-mire! You are either talking about the TYC on another planet, or you are smoking WAAAAAYYYYYYYYY too much crack!!
First of all WHAT is fixed? And secondly, WHO is leading WHAT and WHERE the hell are they? Maybe if all this were true, SOMEONE, hell ANYONE, who WORKS FOR TYC might agree. Grits...our legislators need to take off their blinders and have a look at your survey to see what's really going on. They obviously haven't got a clue.
I think the lege has gone over the edge.
Curious --can anyone advise what TYC pays on average for companies like Cornerstone etc. to house their kids? Typical rate per day?
This was taken from the TYC website, not sure how accurate it is. This is cost per day for 2006:
Assessment & Orientation $28.26
Institutions $162.88
Contract Care $128.66
Halfway Houses $147.13
Parole $10.95
Anyone notice that the Coke County contract care program got shut down today? Ain't it amazing how history repeats itself? And to think, Pope, et al, want to expand contract care! As Oliver (history) used to say to Stanley (Dimitria)on ocassions such as this, "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten me into!" And the sad part is she'll never learn.
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