TYC settles suit with U.S. Department of Justice
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 - 1:53 pm
TYC has agreed to make some changes to protect inmates safety at the Evins Regional Juvenile Justice Center, after federal investigators found staff at the South Texas facility had violated the civil rights of incarcerated youth.
The Justice Department filed suit last week, accusing TYC and the Evins unit of failing to protect inmates’ safety or provide rehabilitative treatment, as well as violating their due process rights. The Department cited the same concerns in a report released in March 2007. After several months of investigation, the report concluded that conditions at Evins were “chaotic and violent.” In recent years Evins has been plagued by several youth riots and high turn-over among top-level administrators.
Attorneys for TYC and the Justice Department have agreed to a proposed settlement that would require adequate staffing levels at the facility to prevent violence, and would ensure that restraint—including pepper spray—is used to only maintain security, and not as punishment. A staff member would be assigned to the Evins facility to ensure that the new requirements are met. Evins would have three years to meet the terms of the agreement. (“State to settle suit over South Texas juvenile prison.”,)
A hearing before a federal judge is set for April 9.
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