AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law permits county juvenile detention facilities to place children in disciplinary seclusion for an unlimited amount of time for violating one of the facility's "major rules." Each facility has the discretion to determine what constitutes such a violation. Consequently, some facilities place children in seclusion for 24 hours or longer for minor infractions, such as “disrespectful attitude.” Research has proven this counterproductive to rehabilitation, and especially harmful to traumatized youth and youth with mental health concerns.
C.S.S.B. 1517 amends current law relating to the collection of data regarding the placement of a child in disciplinary seclusion in a juvenile facility.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 203, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 203.016, as follows:
Sec. 203.016. DATA REGARDING PLACEMENT IN DISCIPLINARY SECLUSION. (a) Defines “disciplinary seclusion” and “juvenile facility” in this section.
(b) Requires the Texas Juvenile Justice Department to collect the following data during the annual registration of juvenile facilities and make the data publicly available: the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting at least 90 minutes but less than 24 hours, the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting 24 hours or more but less than 48 hours, and the number of placements in disciplinary seclusion lasting 48 hours or more.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.