Texas Juvenile Justice DepartmentGovernment

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) is a state executive agency responsible for the rehabilitation, custody, and supervision of youth committed by juvenile courts in the State of Texas. Its statutory mandate is to operate state secure residential facilities and halfway houses, oversee specialized educational and therapeutic programs, establish standards for county juvenile probation departments, and partner with local jurisdictions to divert youth from long-term incarceration. Established on December 1, 2011, pursuant to Senate Bill 653 enacted by the 82nd Texas Legislature, the agency was created through the consolidation of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (TJPC) as part of sweeping legislative reforms to overhaul the state's troubled youth correctional system.