Justice Department to investigate five Texas juvenile correctional facilities

The U.S. Justice Department has announced it has opened a statewide investigation into five Texas juvenile correctional facilities.

{***REOPEN ANIMATION**}{***2-SHOT**}THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HASANNOUNCEITD ’S OPEN AEDSTATEWIDE INVESTIGATION INTOFIVE TEXAS JUVENILE CORRECTIONALFACILITIES.SUNRISE REPORTER VICTORIABALDERRAMA IS IN THE STUDIO TOTELL US WHY FEDERAL OFFICA SLSTHE INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED.VICTORIA?{***WX PLAS GFX**}E THANNOUNCEMENT COMES DAYSAFR TETHE TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICEDEPARTMENT REPORTED THE LATESTARREST OF A FORMER STAFFERACCUSED OF IMPROPER SEXUALACTIVITY WITH A PERSON INCUSTY.OD{***WIPE***{***FULLSCREEN**}{***VICTORIA**}THE TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICEDERPARTMENT’S REPORTS SHOW IANGIVEN YEAR, MORE THAN 50,000JUVENILES ARE REFERRED TO THEJUVELINE PROBABTION SYSTEM.SENT TO ONE OF THE 5INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE.{***VO**}RIGHT NOW, NEARLY 700 TEENS ARBEING HELD, WHO OFFICIALS SAYNEED HEIGHTENED SUPERVISION ORHAVE COMMITTED VIOLENT CRIS.METHE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSCETIANNOUNCED THAT IT ULWOD EXAMINECHILDREN IN ALL 5 FACILITIES AREBEING REASONABLY PROTECTED.{** WIPE**}{***SOT**}Kristen Clarke, AssistantAttorney, Justice Department’sCivil Rights Division"We will also investigatewhether erthe is a patternr opractice of harm as a result ofthe excessive use of chemicalrestraints, excessive use ofisolation, or lack of adeqteuamental health services."{*** V**}{***VICTORIA**}A YEAR AGO ADVOCACY GROUPSCALLED FOR THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AFTERVARIOUS REPORTS OF SEXUAL ANDPHYSICAL ABUSE HAPPENING AT THESTATES 5 YOUTH LOCK UPS.{***WX PLAS GFX***IN A STATEMENT, T-J-J-D’SEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAID ETHAGENCY WILL COOPERATE FULLY WITHTHE D-J.O-WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENTF OJUSTICE’S FULL STATE