A recent state investigation has exposed disturbing practices at Dallas County’s juvenile detention center, shedding light on the improper isolation of children for disciplinary reasons, some lasting up to five days. The investigation unveiled a broken process that involved staff at the center extending disciplinary isolation periods beyond state standards, resulting in numerous violations.
The investigation, initiated at the request of juvenile director Darryl Beatty, was conducted in July by state inspectors who examined whether the detention center complied with state standards. Lou Serrano, the state’s deputy executive director of probation services, revealed their findings to the Dallas County Juvenile Board in a recent meeting. He emphasized that the absence of proper documentation made it challenging to ascertain the extent of the issue, as staff failed to record these incidents as disciplinary seclusion.
In total, the state cited 13 violations during their inspection. The violations primarily revolved around the excessive isolation of children, which was in direct contravention of state standards. Texas law allows for the isolation of a child for up to four hours under safety-based seclusion, intended for situations where a child poses a threat to staff or other children. However, children in Dallas were being placed in a “special needs unit” after safety-based seclusion, where they could be isolated for an additional five days.
Inspectors labeled this practice as “disciplinary seclusion,” which significantly exceeded the state limit of 48 hours. Due to poor documentation, state inspectors had to rely on interviews with staff and children to investigate these instances of disciplinary seclusion.
Beatty reported that the “special needs unit” has since been disbanded, and children are now returned to the general population after their release from isolation, albeit in a different unit than where the initial behavior issue occurred. State investigators are currently examining whether children were routinely confined to their rooms for most of the day beyond discipline or safety concerns.
The investigation also revealed that children were not provided with the required 10 hours of structured and unstructured activities throughout the day, a violation of state standards. Beatty assured the board that efforts were underway to implement a program offering activities for the mandated 10 hours, with proper documentation.
While all cited violations are no longer occurring, the county has approved plans for improvement, as stated by Serrano. Beatty, in his presentation, requested six new positions and possible raises for three workers to address the issues outlined in the inspection report. Dallas County Commissioner Andrew Sommerman expressed willingness to collaborate with the department to provide necessary staffing for rectification.
The commissioners court’s decision to withhold raises for the top 13 department officials was also discussed. Sommerman confirmed that the court was indeed withholding these raises. The meeting concluded with a commitment to work together to improve conditions at the juvenile detention center.
Despite these challenges, Beatty expressed his hope that the juvenile department, in partnership with the community, can work towards ensuring the best possible conditions for children in the center. Sommerman echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the commissioners’ commitment to addressing the issues uncovered during the investigation.
In addition to this ongoing process, the commissioners court is currently appealing a judge’s ruling in a lawsuit related to the detention center. The lawsuit centers on the commissioners’ request for records detailing the duration of children’s isolation, asserting their right as the budget-approving body within the county government.
The investigation’s findings have brought to light the urgent need for reform within the Dallas County juvenile detention center, highlighting the importance of safeguarding the welfare and rights of the children in its care.