WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice said kids in state custody at all five Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities have been frequently subjected to excessive force, sexual abuse and other civil rights violations.
The violations were announced Thursday by U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights Kristen Clarke.
“TJJD engaged in a pattern of abuse, deprivation of essential services, and disability-related discrimination that seriously harms children and undermines their rehabilitation, all in violation of their rights under the constitution, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Clarke said.
The DOJ investigation was conducted with the cooperation of all Texas Districts of the U.S. Attorney General Offices. Other state officials concluded that systemic violations permeated all five of the TJJD’s secure facilities:
Clarke said the U.S. Attorney General’s Office’s investigation was launched in Oct. 2021 after it received a complaint from two advocacy groups …