Signs of trouble were apparent at a Hood County juvenile detention facility before the death of a 14-year-old detainee this month.
Why does it take a tragedy to propel the state to take a serious look at operations inside the Granbury Regional Juvenile Justice Center?Perhaps because too many local and state officials see the for-profit juvenile centers in Texas as a positive economic alternative to government-run institutions for troubled youths.Jordan Adams, a Cleburne middle school student, died in a Fort Worth hospital six days after being found unconscious Oct. 10 in his cell at the Granbury facility. A bedsheet was wrapped around his neck, according to police, who have not determined whether the death was an accident or "criminal incident."Regardless of the cause of death, when young people are placed in the custody of the state, there should be a reasonable expectation that their safety, health and general welfare will be protected. Sadly, too many heartbreaking examples point to that not being the case.State records show more than 250 complaints and serious incidents have been reported at the center since 2007, including youth-on-youth assaults, supervisory neglect and physical and sexual abuse. Perhaps the most disturbing statistic is the 133 cases of attempted suicide, an overwhelming amount in a four-year period for any group.Star-Telegram writer Dianna Hunt reported Sunday that the Hood County juvenile center, originally designed as a public-private partnership that would not cost taxpayers any money, had problems from the start. A coalition that included the county and a detention management corporation built the $6.5 million facility through the sale of tax-exempt certificates of participation (bonds). In a convoluted scheme, the management group was to lease the facility back to the county, then rent the place to operate a juvenile detention center that would pay off the bonds. The county would own it outright after 20 years.The private corporation floundered almost immediately when the daily census was far less than the 78 juveniles it needed to be "profitable." The county took over the operation for a while and then closed the facility because it was too costly, resulting in a downgrade of the county's bond rating by Standard & Poor's.Hood County in 2007 contracted with 4M Granbury Youth Services of Rockdale to operate the center, but a surprise state inspection two years later found "numerous unsanitary and unhealthy living conditions" at the facility. Among the violations cited were supervisory neglect, failure to make routine checks on detainees and failure to provide proper medical care, Hunt reported.In response to previously alleged and actual mistreatment in state juvenile facilities, major efforts were made to enhance security, supervision and medical attention for youths assigned there. The strategy included committing juveniles to privately run facilities.Regardless of who manages the detention centers, the responsibility rests with the state, which is charged with the care of these young people.The Texas Juvenile Justice Coalition in Austin has voiced concern about the lack of adequate supervision and oversight of juvenile justice facilities, particularly the for-profit centers, according to Executive Director Ann Correa.More needs to be done, and one specific corrective measure would be for the Legislature to fund independent ombudsmen to investigate complaints and concerns as recommended by the coalition.The death of a 14-year-old boy demands that Texans act, and with deliberate speed.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
