- State Rep. Rafael Anchia says Texas' DNA exonerees collectively deserve to be named "Texan of the Year."
- John Bradley wants Texas Forensic Science Commission members to destroy all their email correspondence.
- The TYC girls' unit in Brownwood received high marks in an audit preparing the facility for accreditation.
- The Corpus Christi Caller Times documents rising jail costs and overcrowding pressures at the Nueces County jail.
- Diana Claitor has an article in the Texas Observer about a chaplain at the Cameron County jail banned for advocating on behalf of inmates.
- In Houston a young man snuck a gun into juvie detention past a metal detector which may have been turned off since 2006.
- Kevin Krause at the Dallas News Crime Blog details who's on the heavy hitting legal teams on both sides of the fight over investigating two Dallas County constables accused of misconduct.
- The Fort Worth Star-Telegram praises a museum exhibit called CSI: The Experience for giving insight into real-world workings of modern forensic labs. Since most TV shows including CSI laughably misrepresent the real-world functioning and accuracy of modern forensic best practices, color me skeptical, though I'm still interested in seeing the exhibit.
- As drug cartels begin to target Mexican federales who participate in US training, the Washington Post describes an unprecedented level of official cooperation between the US and Mexico in the fight against drug trafficking.
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34 comments:
The girls at Brownwood must have been extra nice to the inspectors.
The girls unit also has the second highest assault rate in TYC. That is where a girl tried to strangle a teacher. This ACS must really be great stuff! Does anyone praising this really know what they focus on? I'll bet Townsend was desperate to find something to announce that she isn't trying to hide. Oh and about the new judge that replaced judge Parks-- He's postponed the trial till April so Brookins newest lawyer can review the evidence that he's had since June.
One moment these TYC'ers are bragging and the next they complain. No wonder there is so much confusion in TYC.
I wonder if Harris County's recent implementation of JDAI (and the standards that go with it) had anything to do with the gun being smuggled into the building. I wonder if the kid was stripped searched.
How would JDAI have anything to do with a youth smuggling a gun into the detention center?
I am not necesarily saying JDAI is to blame; however, the kid with the gun was referred for Possession of Marijuana (Class B). I am wondering if the kid was not stripped searched because they did not feel he posed a risk.
TJPC recently sent out a memo stating that there may be liability if a juvenile is stripped search. It was proposed by some that only individuals that were deemed high risk be stripped search.
I will be soooo shocked if the two from WTSS ever go to trial. I have thought the two might form a suicide pact and end it all. True if a double suicide happened they would no doubt have a little help by other unindicted coconspirators.
TYC is a big mess! If it were not for the downturn in the economy there would be few people willing to work is such a dangerous job.
Liar Liar Pants on Fire is the number one guiding principle at TYC. Oh well I guess we live in an age where we expect our public servants to lie to us.
The gun in juvie had nothing to do with JDAI. Read the damn article. The metal detector was turned off.
Why am I not surprised that the metal detector was turned off? Somebody must have complained that they were offended by it, and off it went.
The metal detector was turned off! Who gives a $#@! and what does that have to do with a strip search not being conducted. If you conduct strip searches for juveniles booked into detention, you don't need a metal detector!
It just wasn't their protocol, 8:22. They relied on a metal detector that was apparently turned off since 2006, so that has nothing to do with any alleged recent TJPC memo.
That is my point! What was the protocol before JDAI was implemented. I bet you anything they conducted strip searches prior to JDAI, and I bet you anything they have a new protocol today.
Not doing strip searches for juveniles that are booked in is ignorance! Metal detectors detect metal!! Let a kid smuggle drugs into the facility and O.D. and watch policy change quickly, not to mention a lawsuit.
You can't look at a police report and PC and determine whether that kid is a risk for contraband.
Oh, and BTW!!
How the hell does a metal detector stay turned off for 3 years and nobody catch it!
I'm sure Whitmire and company are glad it's county and not TYC so it's some one else's headache, just the way their plan was designed.
The juvenile was required to change clothes while staff were present. My guess is the staff relied on peripheral vision, which is never a safe bet, but since the youth was charged with a misdemeanor he wasn't considered a high risk.
"The girls at Brownwood must have been extra nice to the inspectors."
Ok. it's what it is, a former TYC employee ranting because his self promoted and funded "book" didn't sell two copies and is now being donated to this blog.
I'm looking forward to some *meaningful* discussion of Juvenile Justice in Texas. But as long as GFB allows this *rant* to go on, I'm really turned off.
I'm off on the read.
"John Bradley wants Texas Forensic Science Commission members to destroy all their email correspondence."
So the first questions should be: why?
I can think of many reasons to keep the emails, but no good reason to destroy them.
After all the bad press, what harm is suffered by the Commission or the People of Texas by retaining those emails? Has Bradley spent so long uncontrolled in Wilco that he thinks he can just do whatever he wants?
Grits:
Somebody - and maybe it's the ACLU, maybe Mr. Willingham's family, maybe Texas Civil Rights Project - should be contacting the Texas AG who supervises the administration of the Public Information Act and/or considering a law suit, at least to preserve the e-mails before they're deleted. Since the Forensic Science Commission was created by state action it's surely a public entity and under some obligation to preserve documents and make them available to the public in due course?
And would John Bradley please give one even remotely valid reason for his request to shred? What a piece of work: Williamson County, twinned with any third world dictatorship you care to name.
This is Texas and Boss Hog is our governor!!!!
Embattled chief to retire from Juvenile Probation
By CHRIS MORAN HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Nov. 23, 2009, 1:50PM
Harvey Hetzel said today he will retire as the head of Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in the wake of the discovery that a metal detector in the detention center had been unplugged for three years.
Hetzel had been under fire since a 16-year-old allegedly smuggled a loaded handgun into a cell on Nov. 9. When the Juvenile Board that oversees his department asked for an explanation, he said a metal detector had been unplugged for about a month because it had malfunctioned.
Juvenile Probation Department employees later told the Houston Chronicle that the detector had been unplugged since the detention center moved to 1200 Congress in 2006.
County Judge Ed Emmett, who chairs the county juvenile board, said in a news conference Friday that he expected the board to suspend Hetzel and director of facilities Bob Husbands at a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday. He called for Hetzel's retirement.
“As our focus has been to look forward, we might have neglected some issues to address in the wake,” Hetzel said today. When asked if he would do anything differently given the chance, he said, “Obviously, a greater attention to detail.”
Hetzel said he has not yet submitted paperwork, but expects to retire on Dec. 31, after a 33-year career. He said he intends to use vacation and personal time before then, but periodically will report to the office to help prepare his successors.
Emmett has recommended the Juvenile Board make one of Hetzel's deputy directors the acting executive director until a permanent leader is named.
chris.moran@chron.com
Is 1054 allowing his envy of others to reveal his own lack of success and life bitterness? Such a pity.
why should Hetzel be allowed to retire? Why shouldn't he be fired? Taxpayers somewhere are going to be paying him benefits for the rest of his life for his shoddy end of career work.
Harvey Hetzel needs to take JDAI with him when he leaves....for the sake of the Houston community!
I bet hundreds cried when childish 'turned off', left the blog. Farewell and stay off!
Susan Moynahan would make a great replacement. She has already demonstrated her moral courage and integrity.
To the fool that thinks elliminating TYC will elliminate juvenile corrections problems; Bexar county and now Harris COUNTY!!!
RAS, what happened in Bexar County?
The Abraxas employee that took a 14 year old to a hotel for two days.
What is frustrating about Abraxas is that there were so many concerns about that place that were reported to the agency. It just seems like the last incident might have been prevented if more proactive steps were taken when initial issues were first brought to TYC's attention.
TYC has a history of avoiding issues until they explode. You would think they would learn from their sad history but it just continues on even with new management. So sad that the public is stuck with this usless agency.
Yeah, o wise one, (11/28 @ 01:11pm) you are so right, Texas ought to close TYC and give it all to private, for profits like ABRAXAS! Go write a book about it, why don't you?
We knew you couldn't stay away too long. Did the envy get to you? Try a course to enhanse your lack of self esteem. A 'people skills' course may also help.
Are we sure it was Abraxas and no UTMB employee at Abraxas?
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