Texas Juvenile Justice Department Press Releases

• Published on August 16, 2024 - 17:08 GMT

  Coach Henry L. Thomas accomplished much at Gainesville State School, with humility, good spirits and a fitting motto

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications Coach Thomas at the Gainesville State School gym. Coach Henry L. Thomas, the athletic director at Gainesville State School, has a motto – “We can accomplish great things together as long as no one cares who gets the …

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• Published on July 6, 2024 - 22:16 GMT

  Beryl projected to strengthen to hurricane, make landfall on Texas's midcoast

  By TJJD Communications Texans are urged to make final preparations in advance of the Tropical Storm Beryl likely strengthening to a hurricane and making landfall along the central Texas coast sometime early Monday. Acting Governor Dan Patrick announced …

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• Published on June 6, 2024 - 21:08 GMT

  Longtime Mart campus warehouse inventory specialist Jerry Forrest to hang up his CAPPS

  By David N. Krough, Communications Specialist After overseeing massive changes at TJJD/TYC over 23 years, Jerry Forrest is moving on. Forrest, Inventory and Store Specialist, started at the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility in May of …

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• Published on May 30, 2024 - 18:46 GMT

  Former TYC youth finds success at Houston colleges with the help of TJJD scholarship trust fund

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications In her late teens, Hope C. recalls that she felt like a “lost soul.” She had spent several years at a Texas Youth Commission facility where she’d earned her GED and teachers had praised her academic abilities. Yet …

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• Published on May 22, 2024 - 16:16 GMT

  Gainesville employers help TJJD youth prep for work world at mock job fair

  By David N. Krough, TJJD Communications The mock job fair may have been just a rehearsal, but the lessons for some Gainesville State School students were real-life last Wednesday. The relatively new program, organized with help from Gainesville Chamber of …

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• Published on May 20, 2024 - 14:00 GMT

  What does it take to build a successful career at TJJD? Mart's Terry Williams' story

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications Honest. Trustworthy. Dependable. Epically patient. These are the qualities Terry Williams’ colleagues call out when they consider why he’s been so successful in his long career at TJJD. “I can always go to him, and I …

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• Published on May 17, 2024 - 21:03 GMT

  Former TJJD youth J.M. graduates with an associate's nursing degree; credits TJJD trust fund scholarship

  By David N. Krough, TJJD Communications It is whispered among those tasked with guarding the security and safety of the public that the biggest successes remain silent, while the smallest of failures can be deafening. While there are so many stories of …

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• Published on May 6, 2024 - 14:25 GMT

  JCOs tell about their rewarding careers helping youth and ensuring community safety

  By David Krough, TJJD Communications Juvenile Correctional Officer Brandon Thibodeaux started working at Giddings State School in the Capital Offender dorm in 2015. “I came to Giddings just looking for a job to make ends meet, not knowing that it would …

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• Published on April 25, 2024 - 22:20 GMT

  TJJD hosts mental health expert who stresses wellness care for corrections staff at all levels

  By David Krough, TJJD Communications Addressing the need to maintain mental health for those who work in corrections is an obvious necessity – but somewhere between employees on the front lines and the population in custody, it seems that the team leaders …

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• Published on April 18, 2024 - 20:58 GMT

  The ‘Book Club Men’ are leaning into literature at Giddings State School

  By David N. Krough, TJJD Communications Specialist The Giddings State School Book Club 2.0 is off and reading this spring, poring through stories of challenge and determination – by characters whose lives may have once looked very similar to their own. The …

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• Published on March 28, 2024 - 22:38 GMT

  Young welders at TJJD schools fired up to fill a growing niche

  By David N. Krough, TJJD Communications The American Welding Society declared April as National Welding Month - and students across TJJD campuses are honing their skills in what is an urgently needed trade amid a nationwide shortage. Students in the Vo- …

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• Published on February 27, 2024 - 22:00 GMT

  Mart's Jason Tweedle is a natural in his new role as DBT Implementation Leader

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications Jason Tweedle found his calling when he signed up to work as a Juvenile Correctional Officer at the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility 24 years ago, just two months after the campus opened as a …

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• Published on February 6, 2024 - 15:33 GMT

  TJJD Regionalization Task Force welcomes new members with valuable perspective

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications Two new voices have joined the TJJD Regionalization Task Force, bringing a fresh perspective and expanded dimension to the task force’s efforts to strengthen diversion and keep youth as local and shallow in the …

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• Published on January 25, 2024 - 16:35 GMT

  Dallas Pets Alive and TJJD BARK providing a warm and furry public service

  By TJJD Communications Dallas Pets Alive and Texas Juvenile Justice Department have solidified a unique partnership that’s helping dogs in need of temporary fostering care while saving their owners from needless heartache. The fostering partnership enlists …

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• Published on January 16, 2024 - 22:04 GMT

  TJJD youth pony up a great gift to Ronald McDonald House of Central Texas

  By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications Lone Star High School Southeast completed a months-long community service project to help kids in medical crisis with the delivery on Friday of a small herd of toy rocking horses. Two youth from LSHSSE who’d helped …

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• Published on January 16, 2024 - 00:58 GMT

  Non-essential staff have delayed start Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024

  Due to the current winter weather event, all non-essential staff at TJJD will be on a delayed start time until 12 pm (noon), tomorrow January 16, 2024. (Please use the CAPPS code EMG-WT, and contact your local HRA for more guidance.) If you are able to …

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• Published on December 20, 2023 - 15:41 GMT

  Governor's Office Appoints Nine to TJJD Board

  We’re excited to announce that on Tuesday, Dec. 19, the Office of the Governor appointed nine members to TJJD’s newly structured governing board. The new nine-member board will be composed of three returning members: Chairman Scott Matthew, the Chief …

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• Published on December 15, 2023 - 14:48 GMT

  Rosales and Quiroga make for an inspiring and effective team at Evins

  By John McGreevy, TJJD Communications It almost sounds like a Hollywood “buddy movie” at first. Two longtime friends and coworkers with more than 40 years of service to their community. One day, one of them retires. Three months later, he comes back and …

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• Published on December 8, 2023 - 17:40 GMT

  New education complex opens at Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center

  By TJJD Communications The Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center unveiled its new Education Complex on Tuesday, showcasing the building’s 10 classrooms, indoor recreation center and office suite for the Lubbock ISD staff. Construction on the $3.4 million …

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• Published on December 6, 2023 - 20:39 GMT

  Attorney Leah O’Leary joins TJJD to help smooth and improve Level II hearings process

  By John McGreevy, TJJD Communications TJJD staff at secure facilities and halfway houses strive to help youth make better decisions and correct poor behavior. But, as at any place with troubled teens, some incidents require further discipline. The staff …

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