Texas Youth Corrections Missing Kids

Thanks to Grits for Breakfast for the ongoing coverage of TYC's continuing problems.

Twelve of the 550 youths listed as ready to be freed from the scandal-racked Texas Youth Commission won't be leaving early after all.

The reason: They escaped, some many months ago. And officials have no idea where they are.

"Yes, there are 12 who disappeared earlier," Youth Commission spokesman Jim Hurley confirmed Thursday, as other officials adjusted the number of possible releases downward by as many as 100 — from 550 to 450 or less — because of other newly discovered paperwork miscues.

House Corrections Committee Chairman Jerry Madden, R-Richardson, said others were dropped from the list because they were found to be in solitary confinement for new infractions or were ineligible because of their crimes.

"So, they were planning to release people they didn't even have?" Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, D-Houston, said when told of the mistake. "Explain to me how that works. And why no one caught this earlier. This was a dysfunctional agency that still seems to be dysfunctional."Statesman