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Senate hearing spotlights escalating assaults at juvenile facilities; bill to allow transfers to adult system left pending
Summary
Lawmakers heard competing testimony on Senate Bill 1727, which would designate certain youth as engaging in habitual felony conduct and allow earlier transfer of some juveniles to the adult prison system; the committee left the bill pending after extensive debate and mixed testimony.
Senate Bill 1727, explained by Senator Charles Perry, would allow the juvenile justice department and courts to seek determinate (adult) sentences for certain youths who commit new felonies while already committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Perry told the committee the measure aims to give the state tools to address repeated assaults on staff at juvenile facilities: "This bill seeks to provide the department and law enforcement with necessary tools to address the violent assault on staff."
Why it matters: TJJD staff and probation officers described a rise in assaults on employees at juvenile facilities and probation departments; advocates and civil-rights groups warned…
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