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Dallas County judge’s proposal for “neutral third party” review of Juvenile Justice Center rejected as divisive

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Dallas County judge’s proposal for “neutral third party” review of Juvenile Justice Center rejected as divisive


DALLAS COUNTY — So who’s telling the truth about conditions inside Dallas County’s Juvenile Justice Center?

It is the question of the moment following new accusations from community activists who claim that the children being held there are subjected to “inhumane” conditions.

Now, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is suggesting a new path to transparency, saying “all the information that comes out is negative. And then the juvenile director will have a press conference and say it’s all untrue. Get the data to a neutral party so that everybody knows what is actually happening.”

Jenkins suggests allowing a neutral third party, such as representatives of a university, access to data compiled from observation sheets, logs of each juvenile’s activity throughout the day.  

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“Then we’ll know what is true, right? So if you’re saying that the news media is treating you unfairly and it’s not true, then turn over your data to a neutral person,” Jenkins said. “Let’s see what is true.”

The issue of conditions inside the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center surfaced anew in recent weeks. Earlier this month a group called Dallas Black Clergy and other supporters began calling for substantive change to the system.  

“It’s time to protect our kids,” said activist Rev. Dr. George Mason. “We aren’t asking for the Henry Wade to be turned over to the Ritz Carlton hotels. We are simply asking for an end to the neglect, squalor and callousness that the current conditions reflect.”

A young woman who spoke at that weekend gathering but was afraid to share her name claimed that she was denied feminine products. She says she was a first-time offender and is still traumatized by the time spent in the county’s juvenile facility.

“Being locked down like an animal, worse than an animal, animals they get to go outside, the time I was here, I didn’t get to go outside … I was here for three and a half months.”

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The accusations caught the community’s attention, and the Henry Wade Executive Team responded with a press conference of their own, reading from prepared statements and taking no questions.

“Youth are afforded the opportunity to participate in indoor and outdoor recreation seven days a week,” insisted DeAndra Jones, Deputy Director of Detention Services. 

Meanwhile, Darryl Beatty, Executive Director and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer for the Dallas County Juvenile Department had this to say to the community: “The statements and allegations being leveled against our detention center that youth are being subjected to any mean treatment and humane treatment is categorically false.”

Again, who’s telling the truth?

“It’s time for adults to quit saying they are being victimized by the media. That is ridiculous,” said Jenkins, who also serves on the Juvenile Board. “What we are seeing is that kids are being victimized by poor performance.”

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The friction between Dallas County Commissioners and its Juvenile Justice arm has been building for months, with Jenkins’ proposal apparently viewed as another attempt to access data that Henry Wade’s leaders have repeatedly refused to provide.  

 In response to CBS News Texas’ request for a response to the Jenkins’ proposal, Executive Director Darryl Beatty responded via email, stating, “they are aware that as a result of the prior ruling of Judge Eric Moye, the Commissioners Court does not have the right to thousands of statutorily confidential observation sheets. They repeatedly make variations of this request in an effort to indirectly receive the same information through a third party like a university study group, that they may not receive directly. Their requests seemingly benign to the general public, promotes division rather than unity.”

Beatty’s statement went on to say that “the facility is not perfect. I contacted TJJD [Texas Juvenile Justice Department] and requested early audits of the facility when concerns were raised. I have attempted to address matters that have come to my attention and put plans in place to move the Department forward. Moreover, I provided proper state oversight authorities with these very documents a year ago to assist in the effort to investigate and support our detention center.

I think that what would be more helpful is for the Commissioners Court to stop withholding funding for programs and systems that are critical to the success of the department.”

More is surely to come.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat

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Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat


North Texans will enjoy a brief break today before the next weather system arrives, bringing multiple rounds of storms. A warmup is on the way, with temperatures climbing back into the mid-80s by the weekend.

Monday Forecast

Following a few morning showers in the eastern counties, expect a warm and breezy Monday. High temperatures will climb into the low 80s under partly cloudy skies.

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Tuesday Forecast

As an upper-level low-pressure system moves to the west, scattered storms will move into the region Tuesday afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe, with the primary threats being large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.

Simultaneously, storms are expected to develop ahead of a dryline to the west. While the tornado threat remains low in this area, any storms that form could produce large hail and damaging wind gusts. 

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7-Day Forecast

Those overnight storms should push out to the east by Wednesday morning, but don’t put the umbrella away just yet. As the main weather system moves directly over us Wednesday afternoon, we’ll likely see another round of scattered storms that could still bring with some hail. Once everything finally clears out Wednesday evening, we can look forward to some drier, much more comfortable air moving back into the area.

Thursday will be noticeably cooler, with high temperatures settling in the mid-60s. However, sunshine and a quick warmup are expected by the weekend. Temperatures will rebound into the 80s on Friday and Saturday.

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The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.

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Dallas, TX

Off-duty Dallas officer shoots at suspects allegedly trying to steal his vehicle in Addison, police say

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Off-duty Dallas officer shoots at suspects allegedly trying to steal his vehicle in Addison, police say



An off-duty Dallas police officer shot at a group of people allegedly trying to steal his personal vehicle on Sunday afternoon in Addison, officials said. 

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According to the Addison Police Department, around 2:15 p.m., the off-duty Dallas officer saw a group of people trying to steal his vehicle in a parking lot at 5000 Belt Line Road. He confronted the suspects, “and during the encounter, fired a weapon at the suspects’ vehicle.”

The suspects fled in their vehicle, Addison police said, and it is unknown if any suspects were hit by gunfire.

The investigation is ongoing.



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Dallas, TX

Dallas dropped the ball on the Wings’ practice facility

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Dallas dropped the ball on the Wings’ practice facility


The Dallas Wings can’t seem to get a win, at least when it comes to the team’s training facility and arena. Not only is its practice facility in west Oak Cliff, approved over the summer and fast-tracked to open ahead of the team’s spring season, now running behind schedule, it is also somehow over budget.

Dallas had already committed $55 million for the team’s practice facility, a price tag we were uncomfortable with from the beginning. At the time, city staff said that was the amount needed to build a training facility with the amenities and infrastructure required for a WNBA team. The city argued there were few viable alternative locations for the practice facility after delays with the convention center, and they were running out of time. Enter the $55 million facility at Joey Georgusis Park.

But now the project needs an additional $27 million to cross the finish line. How did costs increase so much in just a few months? And how did a project that was expedited to meet the team’s deadline end up falling behind and over budget?

City staff attribute the holdup to missed deadlines by the project management firm McKissack and McKissack and new requirements from the WNBA that weren’t part of the original scope. McKissack and McKissack didn’t respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this editorial. Whatever the company’s missteps, the city is ultimately responsible for conducting due diligence and making sure the project stays on track, and it couldn’t deliver what it promised.

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Now the city wants the Wings to take over. The city would cap its total contributions at $57 million, which includes $653,000 in delay reimbursements. The Wings would then cover the remaining costs, at least $27 million, needed to finish the practice facility and agree not to sue Dallas for the delays.

Some City Council members have suggested that Dallas should consider the American Airlines Center for the Wings’ practice facility and arena. But even though the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, who currently play at the AAC, are looking to leave, their lease agreements run through 2031. That doesn’t do much for the Wings who need a practice facility now.

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Maybe all of this could have been avoided if the city had more seriously considered existing facilities that could have accommodated the Wings. That’s not to say the team doesn’t deserve a training space that will meet their needs, but repurposing an existing space instead of starting from the ground up might have saved both time and money.

This debacle is frustrating for the Wings, and it also isn’t a good look for the city. If Dallas can’t figure out how to deliver a practice facility that it promised to one of its professional sports teams, how can it hope to attract more businesses and major investments? Anyone watching this unfold would have good reason to question the city’s ability to deliver.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here.

If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com



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