Border Hope Restorative Justice Center closed down by State
By: Jose G. Landa
Copyright 2013
The Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties Juvenile Board’s Border Hope Restorative Justice Center for juvenile offenders in the tri-counties was closed down by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on Thursday, September 26, 2013, announced 293rd Judicial District Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bruce A. Ballou.
On September 19th, a juvenile offender from Brewster County assaulted a staff member of the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center in Eagle Pass, Texas requiring the juvenile to be presented at a juvenile court hearing before 293rd Judicial District Judge Cynthia L. Muniz. The Brewster County juvenile, who was being institutionalized at the Maverick County-owned Border Hope Restorative Justice Center under contract, was transferred to another juvenile detention center in Texas.
Another juvenile institutionalized at the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center assaulted a staff member in March of 2013 and escaped from the Maverick County juvenile detention center, forcing the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department to search for and arrest the escapee juvenile. This juvenile also was transferred to another juvenile detention center in Texas.
365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, has twice raised serious and material concerns regarding the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center’s non-compliance with State of Texas standards and regulations regarding juvenile detention centers at the Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties’ Juvenile Board meetings on April 23rd and September 17th.
At the September 17th Juvenile Board meeting, 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, rescinded his certification of the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center as a juvenile detention center.
As previously reported by the Eagle Pass Business Journal, these juvenile detainee assault incidents, Judge Amado J. Abascal’s rescission of his certification of the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center, and many other non-compliant issues not remedied by the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center was certain to cause the Texas Juvenile Justice Department to close the Maverick County juvenile detention center until it is in full compliance with state regulations and laws concerning juvenile detention centers.
On September 26th when the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center was closed down by the State of Texas, there were three juveniles detained at the center. Two of the juveniles had to be returned to their parents while a third juvenile detainee had to be transferred to another juvenile detention center in Texas.
It is unknown when the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center will be re-opened or whether it will ever be re-opened. Many local citizens, businesses, and entities donated materials, supplies, labor, and funds to build and open the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center for the benefit of Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties youths. Many of these local citizens, businesses, and entities now have many questions as to what went wrong that caused the closure of the Border Hope Restorative Justice Center and are demanding answers from authorities.
