New sex-abuse case has Texas Youth Commission under fire
January 10, 2009
The TYC is investigating the alleged sexual abuse of four youths by other youths in November and December at a facility outside Waco. Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, co-chair of the legislative committee that oversees the troubled agency, and his panel colleagues learned that three of the victims had shared rooms with youths with a history of sex offenses.
Written by Staff, The Associated Press
Michael Stravato for The New York Times The Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility in Beaumont is among 13 such centers run by the Texas Youth Commission
AUSTIN – Two state legislators slammed the Texas Youth Commission after the reported sexual abuse of several youths in the agency's custody who were housed recently with known sex offenders.
"It sounds like nothing has changed out there, that mistakes are still occurring that absolutely should not be," said Jerry Madden, R-Richardson, chairman of the House Corrections Committee.
The TYC is investigating the alleged sexual abuse of four youths by other youths in November and December at a facility outside Waco. Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, co-chair of the legislative committee that oversees the troubled agency, and his panel colleagues learned that three of the victims had shared rooms with youths with a history of sex offenses.
"It's outrageous. They're commingling sex offenders with non-sex offenders. It's a dysfunctional agency," Whitmire said.
In a memo this past week to the oversight committee, the agency's executive director, Cherie Townsend, said proper housing guidelines apparently weren't followed. Later, however, agency spokesman Jim Hurley said TYC had no policy expressly barring sex offenders from being housed with others.
Faced with the recent abuse reports, Townsend in December ordered all sex offenders to be segregated, Hurley said.
A sexual abuse scandal tore through the TYC two years ago, and numerous reforms were made.
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