Evident Change News Today

‘Structured decision making’ tool has not been updated since 2013 and families minister says system is ‘not delivering the outcomes we want to see’

Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said state agencies tasked with caring for Harmony failed her.

A judge has reopened a lawsuit between the Dallas County Juvenile Department and county commissioners as the department’s top officials challenge a decision to not give them raises. Dallas County

A report by a national group called Evident Change showed the department was fraught with missteps in how kids were being handled, including how long they were being detained before case disposition. Now, the Juvenile Department is disputing those claims.

A report commissioned by Dallas County and released in March by Evident Change, formerly the National Council on Crime & Delinquency and Children’s Research Center, found Dallas County is locking up minors for months longer than national standards recommend and is doling out more punitive judgments than some other big Texas counties.

DALLAS — Mark Halstead remembers the last time he was outside.

DALLAS -- Mark Halstead remembers the last time he was outside.

Dallas County is locking up minors for months longer than national standards recommend and administering more punitive rulings than other counties. Families worry their children are locked inside for most of the day.

A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that Dallas County commissioners don't have the right to view juvenile department records on how long children are confined to their rooms.

Dallas County Commissioner Andy Sommerman says he was denied juvenile department documents that would show how long detained children spend alone in their rooms.