(TJJD) Youth Handbook - Texas Juvenile Justice Department

INTRODUCTIONHi. My name is Jason. You probably feel exactlylike I did when I was committed to TJJD – that thisis the last place you want to be. When I was firstplaced in TJJD, I was unsure of what I had gotteninto and wondered how was I going to get myselfout of the mess I created. I wondered whether thebad choices I made would lead me to a dead end,and I felt discouraged. I let my family down and,worst of all, let myself down. I knew that I hadpotential to succeed and was disappointed inmyself and angry at the world. Later on, I wouldlearn my sadness was also for my victims and thepain I had caused them. You could say that whenI got to TJJD, everything that was broken in mylife hit me all at once. I spent three years in TJJD for Aggravated Robbery. In thattime, I successfully completed the Capital and Serious Violent OffenderTreatment Program and made a step to change my life around.Like me, you have also been committed to TJJD because a juvenile court judgeruled that you are delinquent of a felony offense. You may have a long history ofgetting in trouble or you may have done something very serious, or both. Eitherway, TJJD is here to help you understand some important things – that what youdid hurt others, why you may be acting out, and most of all, how you can moveforward so that you can live a successful, law-abiding life.Getting sent to TJJD is serious. Only about three out of every 100 youth who getin trouble with the law in Texas go to TJJD. Though this is serious, there is onething you need to appreciate – you did not get sent to TDCJ (the TexasDepartment of Criminal Justice – adult prison). Instead, the juvenile court judgefound something in you worth giving you a chance at TJJD. You’ll find that a lotof the staff members feel the same way about you. They are not here to judge,blame, or punish you. Yes, you will have to follow rules, but staff members arehere to help you.If I could change what I did to erase the hurt I caused, I would do it in aheartbeat. However, I would not change the lessons I learned in TJJD and thedirection my life is going.LOOKING AHEADTAKING RESPONSIBILITY & DEFINING YOUR FUTURE1