Four Texas organizations — Texas Appleseed, Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC), and Texans Care for Children — sent the following letter to Governor Abbott today urging him to address the needs of incarcerated and detained youth during the coronavirus pandemic.
We appreciate Texas Appleseed's leadership on this letter and Governor Abbott's attention to our concerns during these challenging times.
Excerpt of the letter:
With cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) increasing daily, we can expect the virus to enter Texas’ juvenile facilities and detention centers, if it has not already. We are writing to share our concerns about the impact of COVID-19 virus on incarcerated and detained youth. As Texas takes steps to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, closing schools, canceling events, and shifting to supporting children in their homes and communities, we are writing about one group of young people that has the potential to be left behind: youth in custody in Texas.