TYC Official Is Indicted

Back in September, Governor Rick Perry appointed Dallas ex-judge Catherine S. Evans to be the new Ombudsman for the Texas Youth Commission. The Ombudsman is supposed to be the voice of the juvenile inmates in the TYC system -- the person who checks to see that TYC follows the rules and doesn't abuse its young wards.

Sadly, Ms. Evans had not worked in that position for even a month before she was caught smuggling a weapon (knife) into the Crockett State School -- a facility of the Youth Commission that incarcerates juveniles convicted of serious felony crimes. This is not a minor offense. All TYC employees are clearly informed before assuming their duties that carrying a weapon or drugs into the facility is a felony, and will be dealt with as such.

Obviously, Ms. Evans thought that her being a judge and a political appointee of Governor Perry set her above the rules. She was wrong. Carrying a weapon inside a TYC facility would even be a felony crime for the governor himself.

Yesterday, an indictment from Houston County was unsealed. The indictment charges Catherine Evans with a felony of Carrying A Weapon Into A Juvenile Facility. If convicted, she could face a sentence of 2-10 years in a Texas penitentiary.

Ms. Evans said she "forgot" the knife was in her purse (a claim that would not work for any other TYC employee and should not work for her). She has also submitted her resignation to the governor, and he has accepted it.

I hope the governor does a better job with his next appointment. TYC has had enough problems without bad political appointees.

Juvenile Official Suspected Of Smuggling

Just last month, Governor Rick Perry appointed Catherine Evans, a former Dallas County juvenile court judge, to be the ombudsman for the Texas Youth Commission. The ombudsman's job is to be the representative of the incarcerated youth of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and make sure the rights of those youth are not being violated.

But after only a month on the job, Ms. Evans has already got herself in serious trouble. She was caught trying to enter the Crockett TYC facility with a weapon. Her office admits in a recent report that the also successfully entered a Beaumont TYC facility near the end of September with a weapon, prescription drugs and $300 in cash (all are prohibited).

This is serious. It is a felony offense to enter a TYC facility with contraband such as this. Any other TYC employee that tried to do this, would have been fired and charged with a criminal offense. So far, the agency just says Ms. Evans is being investigated. While she is temporarily barred from entering any TYC facility, she can still go in to her office and is still drawing her state salary.

It's beginning to look like she's going to try to claim she was just checking on security at the facilities. That story is ridiculous. It is not her job to check facility security. And the law doesn't say you can't smuggle items into a facility unless you're checking security procedures. It just says it's a crime to enter a TYC facility with contraband or weapons.

Evans violated Texas law. She should be terminated from her job and charged with a crime (just like any other TYC employee). But don't be surprised if Perry steps in to save his appointee. There is a campaign going on, and that is more important to Perry than truth or justice.

Various Thoughts On A Friday

There's been a big furor over the latest idiotic and racist statements from the now former radio personality, Don Imus. Of course he's claiming he's not a racist - he just made a terrible mistake. Nonsense! The statement he made on nation-wide radio and TV speaks for itself.

Imus supporters would have you believe this is an isolated incident that he's being crucified for. That also is nonsense. This guy has been a slimeball for many years. I certainly won't be sorry to see him disappear from the airwaves.

But one of the most ridiculous stories on the Imus affair was on the LA Times website yesterday. It said the Democrats have lost a valuable resource by Imus being kicked off the airwaves - that he gave them a place to appeal to white males in this country. That is a ridiculous statement, and little more than an attempt to smear the Democratic Party. I'm sure Democrats can do just fine without Imus and his ilk.

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I have not remarked before about the TYC affair. Others have covered it very well - sites like Capitol Annex & Grits for Breakfast. But the Texas Senate has now proposed a couple of changes that I really think are needed and will help the agency to fulfill its mission.

First, they are proposing to cut the age of offenders committed to the agency. TYC would no longer accept 19 and 20 year olds as they currently do. This is a very good change. Like it or not, 19 and 20 year olds are adults, and are not likely to be helped by the youth-oriented programs of the Youth Commission.

Second, they propose to separate younger and non-violent offenders from the older and more violent offenders. This is another good change. Back in the seventies and eighties, the Youth Commission did this. I don't know why they changed the policy, but it will be good to get back to it.

Finally, let me say this. There are thousands of decent hard-working people working for the Texas Youth Commission, who are doing their best to protect and rehabilitate the young offenders committed to their care. Abusers must be flushed from the system, and changes need to be made to the system, but people should take care not to demonize the thousands of decent and innocent workers in the system. Most of these workers are happy to see changes are finally being made.

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Ten more American soldiers were killed over the last weekend in Iraq. Yesterday, a bomb blast went off inside the Iraqi Parliament, and insurgents blew up a bridge inside Baghdad. A few days ago, the most popular Shiite leader (Al-Sadr) called on his followers to attack American soldiers.

Is there anyone besides Bush, Cheney and McCain that thinks this new "troop surge" is accomplishing anything other than destroying our own military capabilities? How many more will have to die before our leaders come to their senses and bring our troops back home?

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I applaud the recent move by the University of Texas to honor two great Americans. By this Fall, they will be unveiling a statue on campus of Cesar Chavez. They are also in the process of choosing a likeness of Barbara Jordan, which will then also be made into a statue for the campus.

They couldn't have chosen two more worthy people to honor. These are the kind of American heroes I would like my children to emulate.