Austin, Texas — Sexual abuse, excessive use of pepper spray and other forms of abuse remain commonplace in Texas juvenile detention centers, including prolonged isolation of children in their cells, the Justice Department said in a scathing report Thursday, accusing the state of violating the constitutional rights of hundreds of juveniles in custody.
The report is published three years after the department a federal investigation has been launched over alleged widespread abuse and cruel practices within the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, which takes in hundreds of juveniles each year.
Detention center staff performed sexual acts on children, kept some of them in isolation in their cells for 17 to 22 hours and pepper-sprayed children in the face, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Kristin Clarke said in the report.
Clarke also noted that about 80% of children in prison in Texas are black or Hispanic.
“This is an issue of racial justice,” she said. “Our children deserve to be protected from harm and have access to essential services.”
In a statement, the Department of Juvenile Justice said it has a “zero tolerance” policy toward abuse and neglect and that it had worked closely with federal investigators during their 2022 site visit.
Spokespeople for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Thursday. The governor’s office said it would cooperate with the federal investigation once it began.
According to the federal report, mental health concerns such as suicidal thoughts and self-harm were ignored while children were routinely punished for their behavior. The facilities’ failure to address or treat these issues violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, officials said in the announcement.
The Justice Department said in the report that it looks forward to working with the state to address the violations, but also noted the possibility of a federal lawsuit.
In 2021, the Justice Department launched an investigation into five juvenile facilities in Texas after attorneys filed a complaint.
Texas isn’t the only state facing federal investigations or lawsuits from formerly incarcerated children over harsh conditions in juvenile detention centers. Clark announced a federal investigation into conditions in Kentucky’s juvenile detention centers in May after a state report found problems with the use of force and isolation techniques. This year, lawsuits have been filed in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey alleging harsh treatment of incarcerated children.