tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post8169014608821215363..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: LBB forum on TX juvie corrections populationsGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1231350027862670192011-12-13T05:49:07.188-06:002011-12-13T05:49:07.188-06:00If things are as bad as so many are saying, why ha...If things are as bad as so many are saying, why has no one contacted the Department of Justice? Has anyone truly examined the credentials of the so-called "experts" running TYC? Has anyone looked closely enough at CoNextions to see that it is simply an exercise in "buying" behavior and has absolutely no treatment value? Doing these things will expose TYC for the abject failure that it is and always will be until ALL of the current, inept, self-serving executive administration is removed and replaced with real juvenile corrections professionals. Is it going to take another "Brookins/Hernandez" scandal or "Evins" fiasco to happen before we see what is right in front of us? Or maybe someone will have to be killed first? It's time to decide...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-21444568389838423582011-12-09T04:41:43.508-06:002011-12-09T04:41:43.508-06:00I chose to leave TYC in 2008 when I saw the beginn...I chose to leave TYC in 2008 when I saw the beginnings of this mess. I was a very sucessful department head and was proud of the things we were doing at Giddings prior to the 2007 scandal (which had nothing to do with Giddings). <br />Anyone interested?? Read the book, "Last Chance in Texas", by John Hubner. He spent several months with us and everything he wrote -- is the truth!!!<br />An excerpt from that book. . . <br />It's "about a facility in Texas that ran the most aggressive--and one of the most sucessful--treatment programs for violent young offenders in America".<br /><br />We were the "best of the best, working with the worst of the worst". <br /><br />We had teams visit us from Colorado, California, and Florida just to see how we did it.<br /><br />The "big reform" brought about by Senator Whitmire destroyed everything we were able to do for the youth of GSS. Several excellent leaders/staff left TYC, but they are still around- <br /><br />SHUT DOWN CENTRAL OFFICE and hire the likes of Robinson & Harris or some of their team as consultants to help put back together what we had going before 2007.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-27017906755808705672011-12-07T08:23:39.861-06:002011-12-07T08:23:39.861-06:00Heck that audit is nothing. Why is someone making...Heck that audit is nothing. Why is someone making a big deal of it. You can go on the Susan Combs website and find them all for years back. TJPC has scored high on all of their audits for the past few years. TJPC is STILL the one that needs to take the lead in this cluster merger.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48779795418202120682011-12-06T14:06:45.256-06:002011-12-06T14:06:45.256-06:00TJPC Financial Audit
https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/...TJPC Financial Audit<br /><br />https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fm/audit/ar11-4q/tjpc.phpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-81081170966664213782011-12-06T08:17:35.223-06:002011-12-06T08:17:35.223-06:00If you speak up or have a different idea - you'...If you speak up or have a different idea - you're gone. How pathethic is that. Townsend is not the answer folks - SHE IS THE PROBLEM. Get it??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47348231818063537822011-12-05T20:44:01.655-06:002011-12-05T20:44:01.655-06:00Can I get a amen, AMEN!!!
Every facility is tainte...Can I get a amen, AMEN!!!<br />Every facility is tainted with what Ms. Townsend has created over these past 2 or 3 years she has spent as the leader (if this is leadership I will kiss your behind).<br />What will it take for new leadership to take over this already sinking ship? The superintendents really know the truth about this agency but will not state it for fear of getting transferred or demoted. So this would leave the JCO staff and the case managers, I would even throw in the kitchen staff, maintenance, and the infirmary. Just let them know it will remain annonymous but you want the truth, lets see what they have to say.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4592715194735565062011-12-05T15:47:07.407-06:002011-12-05T15:47:07.407-06:00After reading all of this and working in this mess...After reading all of this and working in this mess for many years, I have a very serious question for TJJD board chair Scott Fisher. How do you wrap your head around the events over the past two years, the past few months and last week at the first meeting of the new board and what I'm sure you believe to have been a call from God to go into the ministry? <br /><br />Do two wrongs make a right? Townsand had every chance to reform an agency with dedicated staff begging for reform and micro-managed everything so much that if there was reform it's only on paper. And kids continue to get hurt and the weakest of those hurt more often. <br />Only greed can be the reason for handing out big raises to inner circle and leaving the least of these that do the front line work with nothing but fear and worries about the future as her poorly run facilities close down. <br />How do preside over a new board of the new agency and not care to have one single board member from the TJPC board to help with insight into how the two could be more successful and think that's right or fair. <br /><br />Kids under your watch are being hurt, have they themselves hurt others to get there yes! But the weakest of those are often victims of a more serious crime than they committed to be sent there. And this sir for the last few years is on your watch. You listen to fabrications of the truth never connect the dots between your friendship of those who at this point can only be considered co-conspirators and what is a higher calling as pastor to protect children and the weak who have no voice ! <br /><br />Sometimes we have to make a choice, realize there is a God and follow His teachings or decide there may not be a God and make it on our own free will. Should you choose the latter I have no doubt that you will try to do your best. But if you believe God put you in a position to do great things then I'm sure the continued damage and harm that happens daily with the current TYC administration and policy and programs can not continue. Things being done fair and right are all new to TYC, the merge did not change that because the very folks that have done nothing are still there. You can make a difference or you can remain a co-conspirator. Not sure where it is in the Good Book but it's about harming a child and being cast into the sea with a stone around your neck. You've carried that stone long enough, change the central office administration ...enough people and kids have been hurt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-44257051025408344942011-12-05T13:55:26.398-06:002011-12-05T13:55:26.398-06:00If the Austin American Statesman reporter were to ...If the Austin American Statesman reporter were to have been taken to dorm 5-A on the next morning of the previous night's riot -- INSTEAD OF a wimpy guided ("you'll see what we want you to see")tour -- they would have seen the total destruction the youth had wrought.<br /><br />Toilets and sinks, broken to pieces... big pieces of broken granite laying around... a number of broken windows, torn up floor tiles, glass and garbage and boards with nails sticking in them, all over the place. The dorm looked like a bomb had gone off inside it. Staff injuries included broken ribs... and AT LEAST one youth injury required hospitalization and some fairly major surgery the next day.<br /><br />Windows have also been broken out of other dorms, the cafeteria, and the school. Desks that aren't bolted down routinely get overturned, new flat screen TV's are also broken. Not long ago a staff (working alone on a dorm with too many youth as mandated by law) was repeatedly stabbed by a youth. <br /><br /><b>Somebody in the media will need to talk NOT with the officials on campus, but the rank and file corrections officers if they ever hope to understand what REALLY goes on there. Until then, it's just CYA mode for the Administration and smoke and mirrors from those in Austin.</b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-55203730645411613082011-12-04T23:36:10.243-06:002011-12-04T23:36:10.243-06:00It's time for someone to check on what's g...It's time for someone to check on what's going on at the facilities. It's so easy for visitors to get fooled by staff who sing from the same old corrupt hymnbook and have been practicing their verses for years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63911443414611712632011-12-04T21:32:40.763-06:002011-12-04T21:32:40.763-06:00Please ask Jim Hurley why he gave this report rega...Please ask Jim Hurley why he gave this report regarding Giddings, he is the media go to person for CO. But he also recieves his info from local administration so I would follow up first to see what your administration reported regarding this incident.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-56368501403582244142011-12-04T19:59:19.614-06:002011-12-04T19:59:19.614-06:00Just as an example of how little gets reported -- ...Just as an example of how little gets reported -- during a recent riot at the Giddings State School, youth tore up the dorm and were chucking big hunks of broken granite (from the bathroom stall partitions) through the broken windows separating the front and back areas at the cowering staff. Eventually staff had to LEAVE THE DORM for their own safety, leaving the youth alone and in charge for up to an hour or so.<br /><br />The youth obviously run their own program there, and staff are powerless to control them. The recent teensy blurb in the Austin American Statesman was totally bogus as to the pertinent details... there were NUMEROUS serious injuries and THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS worth of damage. So much for help from the media... sigh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-90305189626469531802011-12-04T19:58:31.468-06:002011-12-04T19:58:31.468-06:00Just as an example of how little gets reported -- ...Just as an example of how little gets reported -- during a recent riot at the Giddings State School, youth tore up the dorm and were chucking big hunks of broken granite (from the bathroom stall partitions) through the broken windows separating the front and back areas at the cowering staff. Eventually staff had to LEAVE THE DORM for their own safety, leaving the youth alone and in charge for up to an hour or so.<br /><br />The youth obviously run their own program there, and staff are powerless to control them. The recent teensy blurb in the Austin American Statesman was totally bogus as to the pertinent details... there were NUMEROUS serious injuries and THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS worth of damage. So much for help from the media... sigh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88795932331315370472011-12-04T19:05:37.849-06:002011-12-04T19:05:37.849-06:00Hell, I can live with shocked, but getting my asse...Hell, I can live with shocked, but getting my assed kicked everyday at TYC is another thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-67290310953796745542011-12-04T16:21:11.482-06:002011-12-04T16:21:11.482-06:005:32 am The Juvenile Probation Field is operating ...5:32 am The Juvenile Probation Field is operating perfectly...<br /><br />Have you seen TJPC's most recent audit? I don't think you would say they are operating perfectly if you have seen it. Look it up...you'll be more than shocked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79086518142620156752011-12-04T10:11:00.828-06:002011-12-04T10:11:00.828-06:00CT is over or has been over this agency which util...CT is over or has been over this agency which utilizes conextions as it's treatment program. Everyone knows this program is not working and has not worked. If she was a leader she would have made changes years ago or at least a year ago and changed course. If my child was in TYC I would hold CT liable for the damages done to my child. Every youth who has entered the system has come out much worse than when they entered. If they did not belong to a gang, they do know. If they did not have a tattoo, they do now. This is very simplistic and easy to verify, look at their incoming picture and now look at their current picture. Youth enters with no tattoos, today he has them all over his face, arms, back, etc. Sharing needles to accomplish this task is not very sanitary and the possibility of spreading disease is great. Maybe CT should provide a clean needle program at the new agency, this would fall in line with conextions terminology.<br />We need new leadership ScottAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-90213779938973092212011-12-04T05:32:36.258-06:002011-12-04T05:32:36.258-06:00It's all a game of smoke and mirrors. The cur...It's all a game of smoke and mirrors. The current ED's are on paid leave but their people are running the place. Everyone i am sure has heard the governors office is pushing for CT to run the place. Everyone knows VS would be the best candidate but it is BIG government swallowing up the smaller agency.<br /><br />The Juvenile Probation Field is operating perfectly and diverting many kids from going to the TYC facilities because they know kids will not get services.<br /><br />PLEASE new TJJD BOARD COME TO YOUR SENSES. It makes sense to have all juvenile services combined but to place TYC over TjpC is STUPID.<br /><br />MAybe it's time for a new person all together in charge, someone not already connected with either agency. Keep the current ED's on as assistants but a new face with new ideas????? OOOPS too much common sense here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17417643453769065742011-12-04T00:32:38.152-06:002011-12-04T00:32:38.152-06:00Currently we bribe youth to do the right thing, bu...Currently we bribe youth to do the right thing, but even when they do not we still reward them. <br /><br />They do whatever they want-just like when they were on the streets.<br /><br />Does Townsend and her crew have any idea of the mess CoNEXTions is creating? Is it her insulation, or is it something else?<br /><br />Is it just me or do most of us feel that no one is listening?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-73707246632072361772011-12-03T19:05:54.181-06:002011-12-03T19:05:54.181-06:00Scott Fisher, since you are the new board chairman...Scott Fisher, since you are the new board chairman for TJJD, what are your thoughts. Even though we see you visit CT up here in CO and eat lunch with her, does this mean you can actually conduct unbias interviews for those who apply for the ED position. Kinda seems strange that you were the board chairman for the old TYC and you were appointed the new chairman for TJJD, one might think you should excuse yourself from the interview process to show that the process of hiring for this new ED is and will not be biased!!<br />I really do not know VS who will apply for this position as well but if I were her I would have issues with you sitting on this interview panel. I am not attacking you or your character but the perception does not look good, what say you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59115438282283304712011-12-03T15:16:39.772-06:002011-12-03T15:16:39.772-06:00Guess us JCO's will have to continue dealing w...Guess us JCO's will have to continue dealing with current conditions as are until something like the 2007 scandal publicly breaks again. At that point the Powers That Be will need to scramble around placing blame on others as to why this situation wasn't properly taken care of earlier. <br /><br />I'm about at the end of MY rope when it comes to trying to ensure things are addressed to prevent such a total meltdown... guess it's just too much to hope for?<br /><br />I've started a website, written the President, my legislators, the director of TYC, various newspapers/TV stations, even DEAR ABBY in hopes of improving working conditions (and end results) at the Giddings State School and well, I'm tired of trying.<br /><br />GFB has offered the most feedback so far as to what I've been trying to bring to light, but even so it may not be enough to prevent disaster from striking. The truth is, what's being written here is NOT "ranting" -- they are desperate pleas to simply BE HEARD so that imperative changes in the system can be made -- and made soon enough to prevent another total meltdown as happened previously.<br /><br />WHEN -- not IF -- the poo hits the fan -- will all the above mentioned individuals and agencies exclaim "Why, we didn't KNOW things were so bad!" <b>SHAME ON THEM</b> if they do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-85037837052152652922011-12-03T15:15:50.739-06:002011-12-03T15:15:50.739-06:00Guess us JCO's will have to continue dealing w...Guess us JCO's will have to continue dealing with current conditions as are until something like the 2007 scandal publicly breaks again. At that point the Powers That Be will need to scramble around placing blame on others as to why this situation wasn't properly taken care of earlier. <br /><br />I'm about at the end of MY rope when it comes to trying to ensure things are addressed to prevent such a total meltdown... guess it's just too much to hope for?<br /><br />I've started a website, written the President, my legislators, the director of TYC, various newspapers/TV stations, even DEAR ABBY in hopes of improving working conditions (and end results) at the Giddings State School and well, I'm tired of trying.<br /><br />GFB has offered the most feedback so far as to what I've been trying to bring to light, but even so it may not be enough to prevent disaster from striking. The truth is, what's being written here is NOT "ranting" -- they are desperate pleas to simply BE HEARD so that imperative changes in the system can be made -- and made soon enough to prevent another total meltdown as happened previously.<br /><br />WHEN -- not IF -- the poo hits the fan -- will all the above mentioned individuals and agencies exclaim "Why, we didn't KNOW things were so bad!" <b>SHAME ON THEM</b> if they do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-82950587998607954542011-12-03T09:46:36.076-06:002011-12-03T09:46:36.076-06:00According to the Austin American Statesman we had ...According to the Austin American Statesman we had a minor probelm here at Giddings. With only one minor injury, boy it must be nice to sit up their in Austin and peddle this crap to all who will listen.<br />Two days in a row we have over 100 youth breaking tables, tv's, doors, furniture, pepper spray, a lot of youth in mechanical restraints, and they were then running all over campus with these restraints on. Sure am glad we had a fence to keep these children from getting out and making it to CO, they might have caused minor problems with all the cubicles partions up their in CO.<br />But I was told today that we would move 15 to 20 of these bad youth to another institution, gosh I guess the others will not see this as a way to get moved when you act out. I would have to agree, our programs will have to change and the current leadership who has had her opportunity to fix this needs to go. But I am sure they will slant her record in the paper like they did here at Giddings and all will be well, bullshit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-75490495064756807812011-12-03T09:37:56.870-06:002011-12-03T09:37:56.870-06:00I have also worked for TYC for over 15 years and k...I have also worked for TYC for over 15 years and know that the youth we serve are not getting any better but worse. And honestly they can be changed if proper treatment programs were put in place. Not talking about locking up youth and giving them more time, but actually addressing their behavior and giving progressive sanctions/consequences for bad behavior.<br />Currently we bribe youth to do the right thing, but even when they do not we still reward them. This is what is creating all the issues at every institutions, buying behavior and nobody in CO will do a damn thing about it. They ask for the Moss Group to come down and review all the programs, resoundingly they said you need consequences for those youth who do not abide by the rules. Did she listen, hell no she did not, because she does not and has never worked a dorm.<br />ART, CLS, SOTP, AOD, none of these treament programs are effective when the youth are out of control. Why is this so difficult for them to understand? When youth walk into your group room cursing, threatening, and everything else, how are you to conduct any meaningful treatment groups? Look at all of those at CO pushing conextions and push them out the door. We do not need resocialization but we do need a treatment program based upon best practices and not just lip service and bullshit from those protecting their jobs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79637432617556643252011-12-03T08:44:47.476-06:002011-12-03T08:44:47.476-06:00Grits we understand ! Please understand after over...Grits we understand ! Please understand after over 20 years of working with troubled kids it's very frustrating to see a system continue to decline. To watch kids that are societies "takers" come here become worse, not change behavior but get rewards. They promise to not fight and get a reward, as opposed to being told we don't fight , and observe the rule THEN be rewarded! And then they are in fight and nothing happens. So they learn to take your reward but do what ever you want because you already have the reward. Again after 20 plus years it's never been this bad!<br /><br />And it's actually worse for me because my son went into the same field. Only difference he's on the juvenile probation side. He's done well there but after listening to him describe the leadership in Austin compared to ours I'd told everyone it's about to get better after the merge. And now it's looking like it may not. <br /><br />Grits we are not all just ranting. We have spent our lives trying to make the place a better place! And have few places to turn where someone that can do something might read it. AND they can't retaliate because we told the truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89638525869510973702011-12-03T08:27:53.503-06:002011-12-03T08:27:53.503-06:00We understand Grits, but also realize that most of...We understand Grits, but also realize that most of these TYC rants come from ex-employees, parents, and others who do not have a stake with TYC/TJJD other than to vent and vilify others <br /><br />I'm afraid your so wrong. I see posts from currently employed JCO's from TYC here and they "Do" have a stake in TYC/TJJD and the jobs that help pay their bills. Until you have been there and experienced the place you shouldn't make judgment calls. I've been working there for a few years now and the place has gone down hill faster than a large perfectly round bolder. Youth pretty much behaved and did the Re-socialization programs at that time and we had very few problems. Assaults on youth and assaults on Staff were few and we had teeth to back then. Youth didn't curse you, didn't threaten you, they didn't act a fool or worse. Youth themselves using the old way of group and peer pressure helped the JCO's and Youth did what was asked. They marched and looked and acted more like what we all expect of a place for Re-socialization. Then the Scandal happened and the legislature and a lawsuit that came about helped drag us down and get us ready for the bolder to roll over us. Youth no longer have and consequences for their actions. <br /><br />The new program called Connexions is perhaps the worst thought up program I have even experienced. All it does is help push the completely unchanged youth back out onto the streets. Youth can assault staff, other youth, run and climb on the buildings and in most cases they are back on the dorms in less than an hour to laugh at the staff. Come work with me and sit and have youth crowd you and threaten your life every day! Help break up beat-down fights and get hit yourself in the process. Be spit upon and kicked by them. Oh you can bribe them with games, ice cream, cake and pizza. Caseworkers and Management do it all the time. Just last night one large youth told a fellow JCO that he would not tear up the dorm and possibly behave if that JCO would give him cheese crackers on a daily basis! <br /><br />Earth to Texas! I'm not making this up its reality at TJJD and is going on right now. We just endured a hundred youth plus riot that happened during school. Then that night the youth knew that Security was full they rioted again on several dorms and completely wrecked one dorm and using the pieces torn from the bathrooms beat the back doors open and escaped out side. At 5 am they were still trying to find them all! Only the main fence kept them from escaping and visiting you!<br /><br />Um' Governor Perry? TJJD needs help! We need JCO's. We need better pay. (almost dead last in the USA for wages. And give us our Teeth back!Jco Burned out.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-43611570095585694542011-12-03T07:47:03.718-06:002011-12-03T07:47:03.718-06:00We understand Grits, but also realize that most of...We understand Grits, but also realize that most of these TYC rants come from ex-employees, parents, and others who do not have a stake with TYC/TJJD other than to vent and vilify othersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com