Danger and trauma — not low salaries — are what drive most workers to leave the...
Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune, StringerThis story contains some graphic descriptions. For 24/7 mental health support in English or Spanish, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free help line at 800-662-4357. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Either annoyed by their supervisor’s repeated radio calls, sympathetic to her growing distress or both, she said the boys volunteered to be locked in their cramped cells without supervision so Jones could run out and clean herself up as much as possible.She came back to the dorm, her underwear and pants covered in blood, with another five hours left in her shift. She continued to radio for help, hoping to run to the nearby Walmart and grab some new clothes.
And, despite the way she was treated, Jones wanted to stay at Giddings, one of Texas’ five youth prisons that detain nearly 600 teenagers sent by local judges who believe they need more intense supervision than county facilities can provide. The agency has since scrambled to keep itself afloat, primarily by focusing on bumping up officer salaries. By postponing reentry programs and using savings from unfilled positions, TJJD was able to implement a permanent 15 percent raise for officers in July, moving from a starting salary of around $36,000 to nearly $42,000.
Jones blamed her traumatic experiences at Giddings on favoritism, where some people were able to get lunch and bathroom breaks, while those on the outside were ignored. Another former employee who left for a job that she said paid about half her TJJD salary faulted changing treatment practices and a lack of communication from management. Neither blamed their struggles on the children, typically imprisoned for violent offenses.
“I’d have kids try to hang themselves, try to cut themselves, try to put screws or metal into their genitals, and I’m not a nurse. I can’t handle that,” Blevins said. “I put my hand down a young man’s throat because he intentionally swallowed a sock to suffocate himself, because we have no nurse.” Beyond feeling unsafe, she said TJJD employees often don’t feel supported by agency leadership. To illustrate, she points to the rollout of a new restorative justice treatment program in 2019.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas added 2,800 upstream oil and gas jobs last month, according to industry group analysisAnalysis of Texas Workforce Commission data by the Texas Oil and Gas Association suggests...
Read more »
'The Nightmare Materializes': Far-Right Extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir to Be Israel's National Security MinisterThe Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Palestinian Authority said Ben-Gvir's elevation to national security minister could have a 'catastrophic impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.'
Read more »
If DeSantis Wins 2024 Primary, It's the Trump Nightmare With a Different NameRon DeSantis isn't “moderate.” His anti-abortion policies are extreme.
Read more »
Todd, Julie Chrisley felt ‘fear’ before sentencing: ‘Living through a nightmare’Julie explained to “Chrisley Confessions” podcast listeners how her and Todd’s relationship has “grown” instead of “falling apart” amid their legal battle.
Read more »
Allergy Season Is No Longer My Worst Nightmare Thanks to DysonThis 3-in-1 air purifier rids my apartment of allergens and pollutants—including harmful formaldehyde—and it’s nearly $200 off for Black Friday. beastscouted has the details.
Read more »