Wanted to share with y'all a few notable juvenile justice stories:
- First, a new specialty court in Houston will address the issue of child prostitution by treating juvenile prostitutes as victims instead of perpetrators, reports the Houston Chronicle. "'We already have funding for case managers, for staff to run the court and orchestrate all the services we will need,' said [state District Juvenile Judge Mike] Schneider. 'A big concern now is to find suitable housing.' To that end, they are working with the Arrow Project, an organization that provides foster care with clinical case management and in-home therapy to children who have been severely traumatized by abuse or neglect."
- Relatedly, the feds have launched a joint initiative between DOJ and the Department of Education to "promote evidence-based practices that reduce the likelihood that students disciplined at school will have subsequent contact with the juvenile justice system."
I hope that the recent cuts to Education and Mental Health budgets by the Texas Legislature in addittion to less revenues to the cities and counties, does not have a ripple effect by making fewer services available to high risk juveniles and their families. The emphasis is now supposed to be on maintaining services in the local community. School Districts and MHMR Centers, County finances Juvenile Probation Services etc., are going to have fewer dollars to provide services to problem kids. Hopefully this is not the perfect storm.
ReplyDeleteA big fix would be for public school to do a better job providing services for special ed and at-risk youth. The fact that almost half the population of TYC is special ed is indicative that public school is failing them.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall the tax payers throwing money at our shcools 50 years ago for all the "feel good" programs, but I do remember getting my but beat for disrespect, mouthing off, and basically any deviation from the well established "rules". Maybe good old fashion physical punishment in K -6 would help shape minds before society has to pick up the tab for bad behavior.
ReplyDelete" High profile juvenile justice experts"? So high profile they are off the radar. Again, so-called EXPERTS that have no real world experience. Give me a break. Call in probation officers, detention officers, law enforcement, child care workers and CPS to get REAL expert opinions.
ReplyDelete