Pepper Spray use on Youth at Private Facility

The Austin American Statesman recently reported that guards used pepper spray at a privately managed juvenile facility.

"We're gonna spray you," they [guards] yelled at the youth several times before wresting the door open and tackling him inside.

According to recently viewed videotapes, this use of force was used at GEO Group's Coke County Facility. After a series of audits conducted by the Texas Youth Commission (TYC)'s Office of the Independent Ombudsman and TYC contract monitors, the agency ended the contract in October and transfered the nearly 200 young prisoners to other prisons around the state.

In the wake of reforms, TYC officials authorized a more liberal use of pepper spray by guards. Earlier this week TYC convened a public hearing where advocates cited their concerns regarding the policy change. According to the Statesman, more than 1,200 reports of pepper spray use have been logged this year as of October compared with 200 all of last year.

TYC is in the process of finalizing the use of force policy. We will keep you posted these events continue to unfold.

Related coverage:

• TYC Closes GEO's Coke County Facility
• House Corrections Committee Takes a Look at TYC Problems
• Private Prison Scandal Latest Development at TYC
• County Officials must Rethink Juvenile Justice Policies
• TYC has Interesting Definition of What is a "Problem" at Youth Private Prisons