As the former superintendent of the Giddings State School claimed in a lawsuit that he was fired in March for reporting violations of state law and growing safety issues at the troubled lockup, a legislative inquiry was expanded Wednesday to focus on whether 5-year-old reforms to the troubled system are still working.If you'll excuse me, please go here to read the rest of Ward's missive, and I'm going to walk outside now to pound my head against the side of a tree.
"Everything is on the table now as far as I'm concerned," said Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat who authored many of the reforms.
"Based on reports that we have confirmed from independent sources, it would appear that the management of the (Texas Juvenile Justice Department) has not been properly managing or protecting the youth and staff. You could change the names and dates, and it would be 2007 all over again."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Déjà vu at TJJD: 2007 all over again?
Reports Mike Ward at the Austin Statesman:
How many times has Stan been walked off campus at Giddings? I know of two times and some say it is three.
ReplyDelete"You could change the names and dates, and it would be 2007 all over again."
ReplyDeleteSenator Whitmire...you did change the names and people and everything about TYC from 2007. The only thing the same is YOU. You have failed the youth and the taxpayers. You need to step down at chairman of the Sentate Criminal Justice Committee and let someone provide the necessary leadership to make Texas juvenile justice a model for the world again.
Now how many times have GSS and TYC/TJJD been in the news with these rumors of stuff going on and no one did a thing.. Now its Cover up mode.. Anyone remember the news about Dec 2011 that popped in the news.. like two paragraphs....
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Stan is suing Cherie Townsend and the agency. I hope he makes a mint off this. I've known Stan for over 20 years and I can tell you this, if he reported something was wrong, you can bet your ass he wasn't kidding. There have been many, many reports from JCOs indicating that Giddings did not have a 12:1 ratio. Stan's reporting this valadated all those JCO comments on this blog.
ReplyDeleteCherie Townsend is a liar. These comments from the front line staff at Giddings need to be taken seriously. Things are not going well at Giddings, and I believe Stan and I believe the JCO's who are not complaining, but as we now see, are (and have been)telling it like it really is folks.
Fire Townsend. Fire James Smith. Fire Toysha Martin. Fire the whole executive administration.They are ineffective and they are liars.
Well said. I agree with you. Smith needs to go too.
DeleteOne question- Why did Jackie just get demoted but Stan got the can?
If it wasn't for Mike Meade would this have even been brought to light? THAT is why chief's on the board was the best thing to happen to juvenile justice. Maybe 3 wasn't enough.
ReplyDeleteEven Ms. Pope had the wisdom not to mess with Stan.... that just goes to show you what a complete dumbass Cherie Townsend really is. Escorting Stan off campus? Really? I hope I'm back in town when that jury is selected and hope I'm selected.
ReplyDeleteThey tried to cover up the sex scandal in 2007, and now 2012, they are trying to cover up seriouse abuse of children again? WTF gives?
ReplyDeleteLip service. I'm sick of hearing of this nonsence. That director needs to be escorted out of that agency as well her all her cabinet. This is really getting to be bullshit. That superintendent reported possible violations of the law and was fired for it? If he hadn't reported it, then what? He'd be covering it all up just like that director tried to do. I'm sorry he lost his job, but I'd think justice in the end will prevail. I too hope he wins his lawsuit.
TJJD needs a strong leader that can make an honest assessment of the agency and what resources are needed and what can be chipped away.
ReplyDeleteA weak leader is worse than a corrupt leader. A leader makes mistakes but only because they actually make decisions. The hard decisions have not been made other than cutting jobs. A line must also be drawn in the sand with the youths. They too must be held accountable. Honestly, staff members are held accountable. No problem with that. However, the less a staff member does to stick their neck out, the less likely they will get into trouble. That is for a youth or to hold a youth accountable.
With all of the "youth rights" in place... Something has been lost in translation... We have to use force from time to time to keep the "Lord of the Flies" from taking over these facilities.
Diplomacy, treatment and as a last resort... Force.
You cannot stop youths from harming each other without holding them accountable. Something Ms. Townsend and her cronies are not willing to do.
The youth and staff will suffer under her rule. The gangs will flourish.
One man for the job... Mike Griffiths. Hope he is still interested!
ReplyDeleteThis is an open letter to Cherie Townsend:
ReplyDeleteYour days are numbered. It won't be long before Senator Whitemire gets your ass.
You should just step down now. You are no leader. You are pathetic. Ever since you came back, that agency has faltered into a complete embarrassment. You and your Arizona General Council idiot just need to resign because you really don't belong.
Your latest screw up with Stan was tale-telling and your cowardliness came to the surface once again. I say once again because I personally saw what a coward you truly are by failing to stand up and respond when the media was smearing us where the facts didn't support what was being reported. That disgusted me. They sure as hell are being reported now.
I was baffled to hear that Stan reported in good faith possible violations of the law to Cris Love (Inspector General) and a board member of violations of state law (as reported in the Statesman 04/26/2012) - only to be terminated "at will" and for no reason at all. In my opinion, that is VERY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR M.O. I hope that man milks your ass for whatever you have. You are a pathetic excuse for a leader - and quit frankly - you SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVER VICKY SPRIGGS.
Please leave because you are not getting it done,
Thomas Bayes
Former Release Review Panel Member
Austin/Dallas Texas and a witness to this farce some call a "leader." What a JOKE.
The lack of control of the kids is directly related to the Annie Case Foundations philosophy named Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) which believes in giving the kids control of the facilities. Townsend states she is not a proponent of JDAI yet she speaks for it. I say BS. The juveniles who end up incarcerated are there for a reason...... PUBLIC SAFETY. They should not be given the opportunity to deny services when programming dictates that they receive it. Evins unit kids do not receive ANY counseling if they say they don't want it. Advocates want the juveniles to be pampered. I say COME WORK YOUR BS PHILOSOPHY. I'm sick and tired of getting shoved around by these punk kids that have committed crimes against society and now get the royal treatment. Long live Michael Meade and hope everyone else that don't give a crap goes straight to hades.
ReplyDeleteMike Ward and Whitmire need to take a good look at Evins as well. The same issues exist and have existed for some time) there. And the top three administrators there are doing nothing to ensure staff and youth safety and refuse to hold the youth accountable for anything. These guys were all put in place by James Smith and as long as they paint a rosy pictire and don't make any waves, he's happy. As for Alan Michel, he's another Smith crony who'll do whatever he's told as long as he can stay in the Superintendent's house at Giddings. Incompetents and sycophants are what the TJJD is all about. Even if you put a turd in a shiny wrapper, with a bow on it and call it dessert, it's still a turd. Until the corrupt, incompetent executive administration and all their stooges are removed, it will only get worse.
ReplyDeleteI hope his lawsuit goes to trial; a long protracted blood fest that will expose the truth without the lege controlling the spin or any other highly placed beurocrats that are experts at sounding good without offending the largesse distributors.
ReplyDeleteBad. Paper reforms are just that without the follow through, which should have been understood as the toughest part. It is one thing to know what must be done and another thing to do it. Will be interesting to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteBill Bush
I also left this agency after 20+ years based upon what I saw and heard from this current leadership. I have spent my time speaking with reporters and those who really would like to know the truth about this agency this past year and would hope that others will follow.
ReplyDeleteI also understand that by firing Stan for being honest about what transpires behind these walls does not give you much comfort that the same will not happen to you, but you can remain annonymous. The main thing to remember do not come forward if it's a personal vendetta, do it for the right reasons. Both staff and youth are ill served under this current leadership. I have witnessed the leadership of Ron Jackson, Steve Robinson, Dwight Harris, Richard Nedelkof, Jay Kimbrough, Ed Owens, Dimitria Pope, and Cherie Townsend. I can honestly say Townsend is the worst I have ever seen. It is one thing to be incompetent and ignorant like the Pope was, but something quite different to be intelligent, arrogant, and a liar like the current leadership is.
You make your choice, but the real concerns we should all have, how much longer will you allow this to go on and effect the lives of so many.
If the juvenile cannot be "rehabilitated" by the "community" or Giddings the next step should be an assignment to TDCJ. Why should juvenile justice employees be required to report at least 25 violations of a "youth" under their supervision, with minimal or no sanctions being given?
ReplyDeleteRetired 2004
Let's not forget that James Smith was in charge and responsible for the fiascos that caused all the units to be closed last year. And, now, he has even more power. The guy has a history of piloting ships into icebergs. How many ships will he sink before they remove him?
ReplyDeleteHow much yall wanna bet that Townsend comes out with some "Dear TYC Staff" letter explaining what's going on? lmao.... I think we should all write a "Dear Soon-To-Be Ousted Executive Director" letter letting her know what's really going on. She can't say she's clueless. Stan let her know. Even though Stan was fired for letting them know, what's she gonna do, fire all of us for letting her know? Who would watch these kids? Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. I stand to be corrected. They watch themselves now days. My bad.
ReplyDeletePrediction: She'll be out within the next 4 weeks.
Once again, don't open the door to hire someone else to "fix TYC" when all they are doing is padding their retirement.
ReplyDeleteDecentralize the TYC portion of TJJD. You here all the juvenile side saying "they are the solution." Push it down to counties to fund, operate, and be held responsible for quality assurance.
State get out of the business of juveniles and make it totally a county responsibility. If they need a TYC type structure they will find the money and build the damn thing.
The bottom line is the Board made a very bad decision but have ample opportunity to make a wrong right again. If they are truly invested in that agency, then they'll escort Townsend and her entourage out of Central Office and bring in a Chief of Probation that has residential and community based "successful" experience - hopefully one that can withstand the criticism they will receive from inheriting this nightmare Cherie Townsend and company have created.
ReplyDeleteFolks, I can't tell you how troubling it is when a superintendent reported in good faith possible violations of the law and was terminated for his actions. What makes this really troubeling is the fact that all these posters are posted all over the place in institutions, half way houses, and district offices encouraging everyone to report a suspicion of mistreatment or other law violations to the SAO or the OIG. Hell they even give a hotline number. Won't cost you a penny.
Well, a Superintendent did just that and he was terminated "at will."
What kind of message does that send? Are we back to covering up wrongdoings in TDJJ? That's the message those who survived Stan's termination are getting, and that is very concerning. That really makes that agency ripe for abuse again.
Townsend tried to put lip stick on a pig, but the pig finally oinked. Now what? For Heavens sake - she needs to go before this thing really gets out of hand.
Thomas Bayes
Former Release Review Panel Member
Dallas/Austin, TX and a witness to this farce some call a "leader."
If Giddings wasn't running with the 12:1 ratio, isn't it Stan who was to blame since he was the one running the facility? Could that possibly be why he was walked off the campus?
ReplyDeleteWasn't it Whitmire who wanted to coddle the kids and bribe them to do right? If you put all felons in the facilities shouldn't you expect more trouble? If you place the kids close to their homes shouldn't you expect to get all of the families, friends, and gang members in the same facility...especially those from DFW and Houston area? I would say Whitmire caused this chaos, not Cherie Townsend. One thing Cherie is guilty of is letting James Smith run things. She lets him do whatever he wants and he gets her in trouble everytime.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it Whitmire who wanted to coddle the kids and bribe them to do right? If you put all felons in the facilities shouldn't you expect more trouble? If you place the kids close to their homes shouldn't you expect to get all of the families, friends, and gang members in the same facility...especially those from DFW and Houston area? I would say Whitmire caused this chaos, not Cherie Townsend. One thing Cherie is guilty of is letting James Smith run things. She lets him do whatever he wants and he gets her in trouble everytime.
ReplyDeleteWho is to say Stan is telling the truth? Everyone just assumes he is. Maybe he was just a lazy pony-tailed, sandal wearing bum. Remember he was removed from Giddings before because he was ineffective.
ReplyDeleteStan's lackeys are at it in force. Stan took care of them all these years and they got paid off for keeping quite.
ReplyDeletePut your name to it bitch, and lets see who you really are.
ReplyDeleteCouple things...
ReplyDeleteIf Giddings was operating out of a 12:1 ratio, that's Stan D's fault. He's the freaking superintendent and it's his job to see that policies are implemented. He's just lazy.
The commenter at 11:28 am on 04-26-12 is absolutely right - Whitmire has been the one constant since 2007. If there are still problems in the agency, he needs to step up and show accountability. But he likes to bloviate for the cameras and has a ready audience in Mike Ward (and Grits).
And I'm confused - in March, the Ombudsman and TCJC indicated that the vast majority of Giddings youth felt safe, but now there's all these problems? Whatever.
Stan was removed like so many other Superintendents before him...He wasn't afraid of Smith and Smith needed a place to put his black friends. Has anyone noticed that the majority of the imports Smith brought to the agency are no longer with the agency? He isn't the juvenile justice wonder boy that everyone seems to think he is. He is a racist, a bully, and a monumental megalomanic.
ReplyDeleteToo many advocacy groups got to the lege and now we coddle the felonious kids. JDAI = BS for staff who cannot exert any form of consequences on the kids for being disruptive. Yes Evins is as bad as Giddings and because of the kids running the show there I left after 17 years. My friends there tell me 2 board members, CHIEF JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER BOARD MEMBERS. were there this week. Seems like only the chiefs are interested in what is going on. Where is the chairman and all of the other NON-CHIEFS on the board. Maybe the entire board needs to be chiefs.
ReplyDeleteThe board members need to read Evins the Moss Report. It will tell them why Evins is the way that it is and illustrate that CO is/was aware of the problems there and did nothing because it was more important to appease a few resident racist cry babies who didn't want "outsiders" (Anglos) at the facility than it was to worry about little, insignificant things like safety of the youth and staff.
ReplyDeleteThis is going on all over TYC/TJJD. Look at the other locations. Gainesville is full of scandle, racism, and gang related activity. People quit before they are a week out of training. Staff are constantly threatened and by supervisors and administration. The staff out there do not stand a chance because nothing has changed. With Townsend at the helm nothing will...
ReplyDeleteMy question: Why is this guy filing suit? Sounds like he has been the sup for a number of years. So, under HIS watch it gets bad THEN he is confronted about it and CRYS that he had trouble in the past THEN he gets fired for not doing his job AFTER spilling his guts to a board member who HAPPENS to be a chief who knows better THEN claims he was fired FOR talking? WOW. Sounds like he shoulda been fired years ago for being inept.
ReplyDeleteAs a chief of a county with a detention center I have no sympathy for anyone who cannot perform their jobs appropriately. These kids need structure, not someone letting them get away with misbehaving. As stated above maybe more board members should have practical experience in operating a facility. We need knowledge and experience on the board, not pretty people who are connected to the governor. The advisory council breakdown, with 7 chiefs comprising the knowledge in that group, is certainly the way the board should be structured in the very near future.
ReplyDeleteWe are proud of Mike Meade for taking the time to care about the youth in the great state of Texas and not just let status quo remain in place.
Do the math and research before you comment. When you are mandated to be at a 1:12 ratio and Townsend doesn't give you the resources to make that happen, you'll be out of compliance. Stan never "whinned" but rather pointed this out over and over again. Part of the problem is the fact Townsend was given the mandate to combine the two agencies and eliminate redundant positions. When she blended TYC and TJPC, she didn't eliminate top heavy positions and made former directors in the TJPC assistant directors to current TYC directors, and thus TDJJ is still way too top heavy. That takes away from the field. Those are the facts. Look it up.
ReplyDeleteIsn't funny that everytime there is a house cleaning in TYC/TJJD, the same upper administration deadbeats still remain, and still cause the same problems? Life must be good at the top.
ReplyDeleteThe board members need to read Evins the Moss Report. It will tell them why Evins is the way that it is and illustrate that CO is/was aware of the problems there and did nothing because it was more important to appease a few resident racist cry babies who didn't want "outsiders" (Anglos) at the facility than it was to worry about little, insignificant things like safety of the youth and staff.
ReplyDelete4/28/2012 04:14:00 AM
This assessment is en pointe. Certainly, acute racism infects the Evins facility, but corrupt staff are to blame for the dangerous, hostile, unprofessional, and chaotic mode of that operation. They don't want outsiders there, white or otherwise. There is no place for honest, competent, professionals who operate within the law at ERJC. These folks are set up, run off, or made miserable. Clearly, the majority of staff there have an agenda, and it's not the treatment of youth. Evins is and has been the boil on the face of TYC for years.
From top to bottom, CO and Evins are as corrupt as can be. DOJ and ACA are no longer of any concern to either set of administrative master minds and that includes safety of kids and staff. Rumor has it that Brooks is telling everyone that Evins will be closed soon and Lord knows, it's about time. Maybe the counties it was originally envisioned to serve can succeed where TYC/TJJD has failed so miserably.
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth would you think that? It's the same source of staff and now management is guaranteed to come form the same source, the same mind set, the same clic. If these kids are turned over to local control it will be a monumental task to undo the hierarchies that will come into existence.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing is for counties to demand more diversion money, which will eventually come from the state facility budgets, then send no more there. Let the ones currently there serve their time out and slowly phase the facilities out as they release their remaining ones.Counties can then keep kids at home or a RTC that can truly serve these youth, not just warehouse them.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how the smaller counties can afford the councelors and psychologists needed to provide the treatment that state facilities are large enough to afford.
ReplyDeleteTYC/TDJJ can work. The problem is, getting the people in at the top that can make it work. What we see happen through the years is that the lege gets up in arms, jumps the administrators who keep making the bad decisions, then the crap rolls downhill and there is a housecleaning. The problem is, the people at the top who keep making bad decisions still remain. The major problem we have now is that corrections is in charge of the agency. They know nothing about educating and rehabilitating youth. Their approach is to always try and pound a square peg into a round hole, and it never works. If you want to rehabilitate youth, education is the only way, and those currently in charge don't have the first clue because they came from a corrections background. The best thing this agency ever did was to promote Amy Lopez to superintendent over all of education. However, she is always having to butt heads with the corrections hierarchy, and they fight her every inch of the way whenever she tries to change the status quo. You have to educate these kids to the best of their abilities, and this will give them a fighting chance to be productive citizens. It's the law! The people in charge at the agency can't seem to grasp this concept.
ReplyDeleteThe allegations Stan D made are accurate. Exec staff at TJJD were well aware of the non-compliance of the 12:1 ratio at Giddings. All Superintendents were given direction during a meeting held at the Exec Offices in Jan/Feb 2012 on counting case managers or whoever else not trained to count as part of their supervision numbers just to keep budget numbers down. Since they have done this, things have gotten much worse. If the Superintendents did not comply it would have been insubordination. Exec staff is well aware of the happenings at their facilities - they do actually cover it up. If the kids at those facilities knew they had a voice, they would probably be mailing Mike Ward letters directly. Stan D did the right thing, it was the only thing he could to protect those kids.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to this problem is real easy. Get rid of Townsend and her staff and replace them with non-tyc folks, reinstate Stan, keep the assistant directors and rift the TYC directors then apply their salary for more JCO staff in the field.
ReplyDeleteBottom line is, all that top heavy BS going on in CO is hurting the field. Who made that decision? Townsend. Get rid of her - please. I wonder if that stupid idiot even reads what's being said about her.
Lets be realistic. Stan has been a part of the problem for 32 plus years. He and TYC Austin have covered each other all these years. How do you think he has survived all this? If you know Stan, then you know the truth. Sherie is a dead beat but Stan is her long time friend. Just now bumped their heads together. Who will win in the game of lies and deception?
ReplyDeleteThe agency is still top heavy and plenty of people in the field know exactly what has been going on with the kids, blame connections, and what is said in the field, doesn't matter, isn't heard by Central Office, they don't want to hear it, we are all labeled as complainers for saying anything and/or fired. Townsend's agency letter to everyone/staff after the article in the Statesman is a perfect example of her and Central Office's position about this and many other issues, they don't have any evidence of such, not documented anywhere, therefore, it doesn't exist. Funny, back when all the issues came to investigated at West Texas, nothing was documented then either, because it got disposed of and/or trashed/shred/covered up, liqued papered, etc. Central Office has always been removed from what "really" goes on in the field, day to day and who knows whether anyone has the capacity to every really "make" that any different. A half day passing through "visit" is nothing and provides no over-site to what really goes on everyday, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteShould have fired Townsend back when she gave the top-ten executives at Central Office their fat raises prior to the first round of State Cuts. As a State agency, that should have never, ever been permitted when everyone in the field is told there is not merit money for a merit increase, regardless of exceeding satisfactory. People in this area are treated better in retail and don't have to put up with the violent environment. But, what she did then was no different from what they did in the banking industry, and I can't say that I ever really heard whether she ever did anything to undo what she did or did she just let it be - but visibly she is discrimubary toward her people.
ReplyDeleteHiding things, making then disapear is what Central Office is all about - wasn't it the same thing over West Texas? Everything that got reported, disappered from Central Office records? Wasn't that why we now all have to have permission to shred things? Yet, things disapear still, all the time, and why is that? Because when nothing changes, nothing changes and the name change was a publicity stunt.
ReplyDelete10:35am
ReplyDeleteYes lets give you more money to "DIVERT" even more kids to tyc. How bout no more money tiil you produce something besisides bitching sessions and power games.
The matters at the Halfway Houses are not any different from the institutions, just larger scheme of issues at the institution. Continue to driving point, that as long as they don't know, don't acknowledge, a problem, it doesn't exist...period... even if they have to make the documents disappear so they can say it does not exist.
ReplyDeleteThe fired superintendent from Giddings, hopefully will have some degree of law on his side under what I think was called the Whistle Blower Laws, intended to protect people with this scenerio from the state or tyc/tjjd... whatever they want to call themselves today.
ReplyDeleteWe are a one stop shop - drive through window - place your order - for these kids - the customer is always RIGHT and the staff are always wrong and this is the major crups for many issues. They are wined and dined beyond anything I ever experienced myself or for my own kids.. we give them what they want, as they want, order up, on their time line, when they are ready. Forget any consistencies, boundaries, or anything a child care profession would teach about what kids need with their backgrounds. It is conducive to the results we now have and the people in the field have spoken and complained about it for years now, if you are in the field, you hear it, see it, experience it, and know it. But, Central Office does not listen and as long as CO can remain in denial and pretend it doesn't exist, they will do nothing about any of it. You have to recognize and acknowledge that you have a problem before you can begin to solve it.
ReplyDeleteHeres how this will comedown. The " new" executive director will hide behind the vail this being a new agency , that will confuse Madden, but the fact is she has had more than enough time to deal with major issues.
ReplyDeleteThe current executive director of the " new" agency is the exact same person and her inner circle is the same people that have had time to make much needed change. They haven't before the merge and being dysfunctual was rewarded with being hired to head the new agency...so why change!
Anyone who operates a facility knows that even the smallest problems have to be addressed swiftly because they quickly grow out of control. But then again out of control has been the accepted operational model. Well now there is a crack and a slim ray of light is allowing us to see how they operate.
Everyone in the system knew what was going on and how bad it is. Many were amazed about these problems not being talked about during the selection process. Again remember she's not new, nor is her staff.
Now the board that did what they were told to do, they made good on the promise they made to governors office, and it didn't work! It's time for them to step up and think of the kids bought and sold. Or a management team that thinks the way to improve is fire a person that answers a question honestly.... A question ask by one of thier own!
Those who have run TYC for decades are now rising up in indignation. They have been rewarded all these years by Stan and the others. They have gotten merit raises, promotions, etc. as befits their loyalty. Others, who were not so eager to defend the cabal, were run off. Look who still has the top positions at TYC, who reside in the state houses.
ReplyDeleteThis little group now sees its position threatened and they say: Stan, who always protected us, is now the good guy, he's now the reformer. He looked after us all these years! We have flown so high, they say, that even Whitmire didn't notice us. We deserve to continue the covert system that Stan and Lydia and Dwight built and maintained. We deserve it! We beg you to to let us continue to deceive you! Hear their self-righteous plea of this old cabal.
The new agency will never succeed because all they did was rename it and allow the cancer to grow. Now even chemo will not help it. The lege really needs to take a look at CO and all the double dippers that work there. Plus the salaries of the so called "administrators" and their staff. They could care less about the field or any problems the field has. Wake up Whitmire and Madden!! Who was policing the reforms set in place and ensuring things were running as mandated?? Shame on you!!
ReplyDeleteYes, let us keep them closer to home.... worked with many like this but....
ReplyDeletehttp://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/fort-worth-man-faces-up-to-lif.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSomething’s never change
ReplyDeleteGatesville --> Giddings
tyc + null --> tjjd
Culture dynamics don’t change much in animals how silly to think it could change at tyc. It’s the cycle, and it keeps repeating itself. As Albert Einstein said how foolish to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.
I was thinking about a previous captain of the ship, a man named Robert N Winship who professed what some today would call the, hug a thug mentality. He ended corporal punishment and introduced a merit based reward system. This was in direct competition over the old ways Winship was brought in to clean up. There was tremendous uproar from entrench staff and locals about how disrespectful the boys have become because of Winship management style. There were some who wanted to manage the institution according to Winships more modern methodology while the old guard knew how to work “The Juice” to control the culture. And as with this type of governmental agency conflict this one drew public attention. At issue there were no consequences for the boy’s bad behavior.
Note to leg every employee at the institution needs to be on the same page with practice methodology to keep things happy and out of public attention.
It was total mayhem and the governor got involved. You tyc people know that’s generally not a good thing. The staff couldn’t control the kids without The Juice. There were Mexican boys who were whistling at white ladies, hundreds of escapes, and a group of Negro boys sodomized a mule according to local reports. It all became a moot point when on Sept 4, 1944 the Dallas Morning News reports of Winship’s death in a car crash. He was replaced by a man named Ed Blair, aka Beat’em-up-Blair. The institution was back on The Juice and all became quit on the public front, for a while.
According to an old timer who knew the kid who worked on Winship’s car it wasn’t an accident. Ledged has it that he is the dorm man over the boys who are still there. The boys murdered by The Juice practitioners, whose ghost comforts the women who are housed in that cursed valley today.
The tyc culture has been around longer than anyone on this planet. Not even Judge Justices, obm, could abolish it. The Juice is a powerful force in the human condition that controls the institutions that house people society deems to be an animal in need of breaking. The last stop when prescription drugs and silly games failed. The Juice produces staff who can work no place else and kids who view being locked up as a badge of honor.
Shame you people who call yourself reforming tyc/tjjd or whatever it’s called, don’t know more about the agency’s history. Perhaps you wouldn’t keep doing the same damn thing and expecting different results.
I told Stan D. months ago that the best thing he could do would be to call a campus wide meeting and begin it by thanking everyone for attending... then to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP and let the rank-and-file have their say at the podium, without interruption. Give them each 3-5 minutes, who ever had something to say, and take notes.
ReplyDelete"GREAT IDEA", he said. "WE'LL HAVE TO DO THAT"... but it never happened. He knew last year the dorms were out of ratio compliance. He knew morale was in the toilet. He knew staff weren't doing their jobs and the kids were out of control. And what happened to him? He got fired for "speaking up" about these conditions -- in MARCH?? Whoa!!
Whoever is picked to eventually lead TJJD out of the mess its been in, and continues to be in, needs to BE SURE to solicit feedback from the JCO's who actually are working in the dorms -- NOT the supervisors who hide out and do nothing, and not their cronies who do nothing but slap each other on the back, convincing each other they're all doing a GREAT JOB.
People talk about Stan if he was innocent. There were and are many crooks and criminals working for Giddings and he was one of them. He covered what he wanted to, looked out for who he wanted, and lied to those and for those he needed to. If he turned his head to the drama that was going on his own campus regarding staff (i.e. people sleeping with everyone, have more than one "baby momma or daddy" on campus, staff threatening others and no repercussions for the threatening staff, etc), what makes people think he is going to focus on the kids.The only reason he began talking was because he was being disciplined. When you do people wrong, the same thing happens to you and then magically you want to tell what you know. The question really is, how long have you been holding on to the information that you are now telling. Stan was not only walked off for telling, there was an anonymous letter sent to central office by a working staff complaining of the conditions of safety, discrimination (racial and gender)towards youth and staff, etc.
ReplyDeleteDeja Poo:
ReplyDeleteThe feeling you get when you think you've heard this crap before.
Reports never filed ,I'm thinking they have one switch board ,Texas youth,juvenile justice ,there reports are filed in trash ,then when people get that upset they only have federal and oig to get anything done ,
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