DALLAS — Ashley Lively said her 15-year-old son had never been in much trouble before and certainly never in jail before. But, she said since February when he was detained after a "joyride" in his grandmother's car, he has been held at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center in Dallas, sometimes in isolation.
"They were sitting in their cells sometimes for two days," Lively told WFAA. "I know he didn't go outside until he was in there probably a month and a half."
Her concerns about her son's treatment during his now five-month confinement are among numerous complaints from parents that have made it all the way to Austin.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department Governing Board notified the Dallas County Juvenile Probation Department and its director Darryl Beatty on Wednesday that it has initiated an investigation based on "complaints and inspection findings by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department's Monitoring and Inspections Division."
"The OIG investigation is a broad review of neglect allegations associated with the detention of juveniles within the Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center," Chief Inspector General Daniel Guajardo said in his letter.
"Absolutely," said Dallas County commissioner and juvenile board member Andy Sommerman when asked if he welcomed news of the investigation. "I invite this investigation. We need to have a clear understanding of what is happening over there at the Juvenile Department."
Sommerman and other Dallas County commissioners have been at odds with the Juvenile Department, fighting each other in court over access to juvenile records that he believes may shed light on staffing issues, length of time detainees spend in isolation and other concerns. Attorneys for the Juvenile Probation Department argue that those records, containing identifying information of juvenile detainees, are protected by state law.
"I think open and transparency is everything associated with how the Juvenile Department does its business." added Sommerman. "Without revealing the names of an children under any circumstances in any way shape or form, we can still have a very clear understanding what happens at the juvenile department. And we need to know that."
In a written statement, Darryl Beatty, Executive Director of the Dallas County Juvenile Department, told WFAA "the Dallas County Juvenile Department has been notified that the TJJD Office of Inspector General has initiated an investigation and as always, my staff will be open and transparent with all requests by the OIG."
That's what Lively wants to hear. Her son is now in the Juvenile Department Residential Drug Treatment (RDT) program that she said is expected to last from eight months to a year.
"I just hope they do a thorough and honest investigation. And let the public know actually what's really going on there," she said.
