AUSTIN, Texas — Executive leadership from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department spoke to lawmakers on Tuesday, alerting them to concerns about violence within their facilities.
The testimony was part of the second days of a Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice hearing.
“Rehabilitation is essential, but rehabilitation cannot occur without safety, structure and accountability. Texas is confronting a significantly more serious and violence juvenile offender population,” said TJJD executive director Shandra Carter told lawmakers.
Carter told committee members that the state’s juvenile justice system currently has custody of a significantly larger proportion of minors charged with murder than before the pandemic.
According to TJJD data, homicide referrals to the agency increased by 65% between 2020 and 2025. Firearms offense also increased by 45%.
The increased violent offender population, she said, has paired with a cultural shift leading to a need for more resources.
She told lawmakers she worries for the safety of her staff, as well as other minors in the state’s custody.
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“It’s about interrupting violence before it leads to lifelong criminality, while ensuring communities and victims are protected,” Carter said.
Her office asked lawmakers to consider several options, including improving county-level capacity, adding more placement options, and modernizing sentencing for offenders. She also asked for clearer consequences for those who commit assault while in custody.
Jenny Carroll, a law professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, pointed to staffing shortages and a need for improved training programs within juvenile facilities. She said improved staffing and training allow facilities to better focus on rehabilitation.
“Juvenile facilities have this additional lift that adult facilities don’t always have, which is they’re not only providing safe and secure housing, but they’re also having to educate. They’re having to provide social services that might not be necessary or may not be provided to an adult who is incarcerated,” Carroll said.
Lawmakers used the time Tuesday to ask questions and hear from the public. Any relevant legislation will need to wait until the legislature returns to session in January.