TYCGIDDINGS

If someone is ALWAYS LATE coming in to work then eventually they're really not late, you follow?

FOR YEARS a co-worker came in late, every shift, 10-15 minutes or more after the hour.  We complained and complained about it, and were told time and time again by the JCO 6 that at least this person eventually DID come in consistantly, and what would we rather do -- work another 15 minutes or another 4 hours?  Ok, I get the drift... but... sorry...

That's the WRONG ANSWER.

Or how about this -- you're walking under the metal detector to get out of the gatehouse and head to home after your shift.  The person at the desk asks you to stay another 4 hours, or to be back 4 hours early.  Ever have that happen?  I can sometimes understand a person calling in 5-6 hours ahead of their assigned shift.  Sometimes people just feel bad... and if they do, and have sick leave, they are entitled to use it.  Trying to hold folks to a "gotta call 12 hours in advance" criteria for getting sick time is sick in itself,  but ohhhh, well. 

Not knowing what's the official TYC time is can't be used as an excuse to arrive late -- that atomic clock on the wall is accurate enough for me.

But if someone calls in 15 minutes prior to their shift and cries they can't come in -- and has a phoney baloney excuse -- and they ask ME on my way out the door can I pull some more hours, well, it's certainly difficult to be eager to do so.  Geeze.

As long as I'm given a respectable amount of time to psychologically gear up for an extended shift, I don't mind doing some of them on occasions where genuine need exists. 

While I'm thinking of it -- wonder how that safety sign got stuck on "2" days for... how long now?  NOT very convincing!!  And what's the deal with the sign in sheets that still have the names of folks who've left employment months and months ago?  I would hope for ex-workers privacy's sake that the list would be updated to reflect the names of those who actually are working.  Maybe it just LOOKS BETTER with all those names still there, but my opinion is it's careless paperwork.

From the excellent http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/ website, July, 2011, regarding the influx of new kids at Giddings --

"If youth are simply moved to remaining facilities, the agency, Legislature and public should expect conditions inside facilities to worsen. Youth lock-ups that house more youth are more likely to have staff-on-youth, youth-on-youth and youth-on-staff violence, like what the state saw prior to the TYC reforms initiated in 2007. Returning to those conditions would undo what progress has been made and create a shaky start for the new Texas Juvenile Justice Department, set to replace TYC and TJPC later this year under SB 653 by Whitmire."

Ain't THAT a fact??!  And what plans, if any, were made to deal with these EXPECTABLE conditions?  Nothing anyone told me, that's for sure.  Staff shortages have been recognized for years by just about everyone as an obvious problem... yet conditions never seem to change.  Take that back, actually ~ what HAS changed is that the average JCO still hangin' in there has lost their dedication to a system that apparently would rather have the paperwork look good than to keep us safe and within the dictates of laws enacted to help ensure that safety.  SIGH.

When paperwork is altered to make things "look better" it's time to question what meaning does the paperwork have?  None, I guess.  Are referral 225's getting posted to the kid's records, even if they're only off the dorm a short time -- or do they simply get roundfiled to make it look better?  I couldn't say, but now will NEVER KNOW due to the IT people in Austin blocking Gateway access to the SAS reports where we used to be able to look up basic information on the kids.

So now, I DON'T know:

1. What the kid is in for.
2. How long his sentence/MLOS is.
3. What prior convictions he may have.
4. What he LOOKS LIKE in a color photo.
5. His age/birthdate/religion.
6. Numbers and types of 225's.
7. Sex offender registration status.
8. Educational status and IQ

Now, I don't know about YOU,  but it certainly helps ME to know things like what certain age is he and what his crime was that got him on my dorm.  Is he a murderer with lots of prior felony convictions or a first-time sex offender?  Lots of assault on staff 225's, maybe?  I NEED TO KNOW!!  But the current culture of informational lockdown clamps us off for some reason, no explanation.  Go figure.

http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2007/03/tyc-another-missed-opportunity/ 

Click on the link above then post a SHOUT, please.  We're either pissing in the wind or not, and I'm not sure who's really interested in the future of the youth of Texas -- but I know I'M serious and that yes, I DO care enough about our kids AND my co-workers to just call a spade a spade and let the cards fall where they will.  But who to deal with??

The above link is yet ANOTHER missed opportunity, indeed.  Can we afford another one?  If the campus culture gets soooo messed up that "the cure is worse than the disease", what are we gonna do except wait like sheep for more injuries, or have to take more blood pressure meds -- or worse!  It won't be me bleeding, hopefully, or anyone reading this, or the kids.  But hoping may not be enough.

For anyone who cares to know, Senate Bill 653, Section 242.012, reads: "In each correctional facility operated by the Department that has a dormitory, including an open-bay dormitory, the Department must maintain a ratio of not less than one Juvenile Correctional Officer performing direct supervisory duties for every twelve persons committed to the facility."

Sounds straightforward enough to me... and... it's the law.  Not some local Giddings local policy or training sheet -- STATE LAW.  Pardon for being such a burr in the saddle, but, what's the SNAFU here?  Who cares to know?  When and why is honesty not the best policy when the stakes are so high that we GET THINGS DONE RIGHT around here... not ONLY legally, but also for the benefit of the youth we are trying to prepare to re-enter society, hmmm?

If we fail the kids, we fail ourselves.

Sometimes I just can't wait to get on the other side of the fence, you know?  Especially after a 12 hour shift.  Even more especially since it's due to a co-worker who I've NEVER seen come to work except past the hour they should have BEEN on the dorm... WHEN they actually come in at all.  For some people, it seems a "dog ate my homework" type of excuse is no problem for them, but I don't think I could pull that off, myself.

And you know what just torques me??  The CASE WORKER comes on the dorm, and can't even get all the kids to stand for a parade rest.  As you were, as it were.  What's missing in the dorm culture is any real discipline, I'd say... agree?  We let them just get away with all the little things since there's no meaningful way to consequence them, it seems.  So the kids have no SELF DISCIPLINE, and we get no respect since we've been willing -- or told -- or shown how by our supervisors and the case workers --  to let go of our authority and take it easy on the boys.  As if getting low scores really is a consequence?  Geeeze.  That really breaks their hearts.

NOT.

We could tell them "Stand at parade rest when staff comes in or get a 2 hour rug restriction."  That'd smarten 'em up, hmmmm?  Slow to respond getting up in the morning?   Sorry... no latenites for the high stages.  Low stages won't be on the rug, or listening to radios that day.

And I'm all for the bright orange uniforms again.  Very stylish... for felons, for prisoners, for criminals, for ... "troubled youth", too -- and, they can learn to march (again) if they want to get to rec or meals on time.  If it was made campus-wide policy that would be supported by our supervisors and the admin, that is... and how likely is that??!   How about High Stages that don't abide by dress code don't wear stage shirts -- period?

I'm all for both the carrot AND stick approach, as it were.  Instead of making them up some Gatorade and letting them frolic outside (but still inside the gate) ... get them back to cleaning up our patch of road on 290 more often and then offer them some sweet tea or a gallon of ice cream, if the State can afford it.  Make it REAL ATTRACTIVE to have REAL GOOD behavior, and the guys will want the status of getting the Good Stuff.  They generally don't give two hoots about the "privileges" they get nowdays... or not.  If we can help make them strive to do well then they should have rewards that mean something to them, eh?

The Real World should NOT be a real shocker to them once they are released.  If it is, we've all failed and let them down at great cost to society.  Real Life offers no Self Referrals, kiddies... so sorry!

AGENCY PHILOSOPHY

Texas Youth Commission staff adhere to these principles:

• TYC will create an organization of which all Texans can be proud.
• TYC will value its employees as the agency’s greatest asset.
• TYC will create an organization where teamwork and collaboration is paramount.
• TYC will create an organization that will care about the youth in its care and will strive to make a positive impact on their lives.
• TYC will ensure the public is protected by always maintaining safety, security, and control at its facilities.
• TYC will create an organization that will be accountable for its actions and that will admit its mistakes.
• TYC will create a culture of communication and cooperation throughout the organization.
• TYC will promote sound juvenile correctional techniques, best practices, and research.
• TYC will protect the fundamental rights of youth. 
  
  ~~~
  OK... so far so good.  But does not "TYC" include EVERYONE in the Agency, from top to bottom?  That would include JCO 1-4's, their supervisors, the cooks, admin, folks in Austin, etc, right?  Sure thing.  We are all in this thing together, for better or worse.  Since we ALL are expected to adhere to these principles... let's hold ourselves and each other accountable.  Let's get to the primer coat, and try to figure out who needs to do what to help make our dorms safe again and for us to be able to really do the job we're expected to!
  
  It's time either keep your head in the sand or not.  Does the emperor have clothes on or not?  TYC is changing; it's going to change more.  You know we've got some pains to go through... but it seems to me it's a better road traveled to be PROACTIVE for POSTIVE CHANGES instead to sit around, do nothing, and turn a blind eye to the problems we face. So... click on video link below if you're to the point where you're MAD AS HELL AND AREN'T GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIY5Vyj4YM

Here's some excerpts of what I've been hearing and reading lately... thanks y'all for the input!

"Please advise on who is going to be responsible if one of the students get hurt.  The dorm is out of control and it doesn't help go to check or confront students anymore because they just tell you to go f*** yourself."

"The students who are trying to sleep can't, and are starting to get upset with the others and and I'm afraid they may get into a fight with the non-compliant students."

"... after the students came back they just laughed and said you know they're not going to keep us and again started cursing staff."

"Why isn't the abuse or ombudsman hotline working?  The dorm is unsafe at this time for students and if we can't refer kids that get out of hand things will only get worse.  This is a safety issue that must be addressed.  I don't want to see any staff or student get hurt simply because we don't want to place them in security."

Sorry that the best The Hill can come up with to JCO questions at a recent campus wide meeting are various shades of the "I don't know", "It's hard to say",  etc variety... what DO they know?  Obviously, no plans... and clueless as to the real nature of what's been going on at the dorms.  It's out of our control to promote postive change?

I DON'T THINK SO.

DO they have any short or long range plans/ideas/goals??  ANY???  Must be nice to get scheduled time off,  but what do -I- know about THAT?  Nothing, as it turns out, for the past couple months.  Man, that stress leave stuff sometimes seems like a pretty sweet deal compared to watching dorm culture crumble away more and more every day.  When the bottom line is hit, most likely they'll be someone's blood on the floor -- unless the way things are now are just hunky dory and the official line is for all of us to "just be glad" we have a job.  Oh, I see now how things work. 

Less delicately put, did I just say "put out or get out" -- ? 

Hmmmm.  Serious business here, but the watch phrase seems to be "do what you gotta do to get by".  Sorry to say, I'm not getting by a whole lot real well much often, thank you very much.  Even -I- can recognize the obvious symptoms of my being under work related stress whan I come home and SCREAM at my spouse that they are a ******* ***** if you know what I mean... and slam the bedroom door shut as hard as I can -- after coming home from hours of trying to "supervise" a dorm full of unconsequenced youth who are hellbent on being as loud, sexually/racially/every-which-way  offensive, vulgar, and violently out of control as they want.  I'm humbled to have to apologize for being such a you-know-what and acting out in the same way THEY DO.  And THAT stinks, if you get my drift.

What to do?  Who's gonna give, who's gonna give UP?   Without any support/authority to exercise , I've  become flabby and well... again... what to do?  Give up on TYC as a whole, the kids, personal dignity, right of expression -- what's left?  Is it fair to come home with a headache every night and have to buy our own aspirin?  The kids, well... as always, we serve as role models, for better or worse, like it or not.  Look at what we created -- and will  be sending back into society where good people like you and me and our loved ones live. 

Nahhh... I can't look.  The future's so bright, I gotta wear... what... BODY ARMOR??!  No wonder things have gone to a critical mass stage and are quickly approaching meltdown.  Sigh.  Guess I'll do what I have to do to get by and make the best of things... and give up?

NO WAY!

 

Here's a letter from Officer JCOC3P0:

"Just would like to know if anyone has noticed a change in attitude around campus?  Students going around with their T-shirts out, or pants way down low.  How about the tight cuffs; does this bother anyone other than myself?  What happened to no talking in line movement?

Does it piss you off at the med window when students sit down and you can't refer them.  Funny how staff still yell at students to tuck thier shirts in or uncuff their pants and the students just blow them off.  Thought by now staff would have gotten the message that yelling or even politely asking students to do something just isn't going to happen.  If a student isn't at parade rest at the school, just chill -- THEY AIN'T GONNA LISTEN!  So stop YELLING!

I used to believe we could be a change agent, I actually believed this way was our way of doing business.  Not sure who gave up and let the students take over but I do know it's useless to check or confront students until we CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS." 

I concur.

Gotta love that Callahan character -- sometimes it's hard not to just say what you really think to the young people of today, and offer some advice and wisdom, as well.  When Dirty Harry speaks, like to the punk in the video clip (link below)-- he caught the guy's undivided attention right away, had a few wods for him, and was given kudos by a co-worker.  How cool is THAT??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UznxI3Z4NU8

When Clint Eastwood says ~ http://youtu.be/mevxenJ6Mtc ~ he's pointing a .44 Mag 'tween a punk's eyeballs and letting him bet on if he'd just fired FIVE SHOTS... or SIX.  Go ahead... make my day.  Yeah, right.  Dare ya.

Let's get it out in the open, and not mince words:  CoNexTions sucks.  The kids know it.  We all know it.  NO ONE I KNOW HAS EVER HAD ANYTHING POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.   Is that right, or not?  You know it's true.

OK, I'm not an Expert, but I KNOW when a kid deserves a 0, he should get it.  Otherwise the program sheet would not have them there as an option to use.  We've been told not to give them ALL ZERO'S unless they were referred on our shift.  But then again, we're told we can't refer them, basicly.  

OK... now, when a youth is given four 0's and a 1 (being at the right place at the right time; behind the wire) for a total score of .2 for the shift -- IF they've been nothing but constant continual never ending ongoing disruption --  why do the scores get changed up by someone who wasn't even there?  What IS the lowest I'm "allowed" to mark a kid?  All 1's OK?  3's?  ALL 5's, all the time???  It just makes no sense why there's not the possibility for scores of MINUS 1-5, too,  you know? 

So GO AHEAD -- make my day.  WHO'S day, I ask.   The kids all pretty much "make their day" no matter what they do, or not... or if they get referred, or are given rarely carried over LOP's or other ooooh, scary! "restrictions".  Nor do they get what the State paid for anymore when they purchased this scrub CoNexTions program.  NO LONGER do they get MDT's, oh, no... they get evaluated off some rouge home-brew off-the-books checksheet where we mark down if they were nice or not.  And so the numbers don't count anymore, really, anyhow.  Sigh.  What a waste of time and effort and young men's lives and futures we've been part of while going through all that paper over the past couple years.

Go ahead.  Figure out how to make YOUR OWN day, if no one else's.