Texas Youth Commission Notes, Fall 1987 Page: 3
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Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment Program
Expanded at GiddingsThe Texas Youth
Commission's Sex Offender
Treatment Program located at the
Giddings State School has expanded
from a population of sixteen to
thirty-two youth, effective October
15, according to Marie Murdoch,
program supervisor. The additional
funds to expand the program were
provided by the 70th Legislature
and will enable Giddings to hire
two additional caseworker Ill's as
program therapists and also adds
an additional YAS staff member.
The program therapists will
be responsible for groups of nine
youth each. Currently, there is a
group for youth committed for
molestation of a child and a group
for rapists being run by two
program therapists. However, the
expansion of the program will
enable the program to add two
more groups to provide additional
services for child molesters and for
low I.Q. youth. Currently the
program is receiving more referrals
for child molesters. The expansion
also calls for the development of an
aftercare component, formalized
sex education curriculum, and
family education.
Youth will generally stay up
to eleven months in the program
and involves extensive group
therapy whose goal is to a) accept
responsibility for their sex offense;
2) identify the sex offense cycle; 3)
develop empathy for their victim(s);
and 4) develop appropriate skills.The youth are required to
participate in 90 minutes of group
therapy five days a week. In
addition, the Giddings psychologist
and program director also conduct
an intensive therapy group on a
weekly basis.
The Texas Interagency
Council on Sex Offender Treatment,
created by the Texas Legislature in
1984, recommended that TYC
establish a program for juvenile sex
offenders. In 1985, the program for
juvenile sex offenders was
established at the Giddings State
School. This program was designed
to decrease the recidivism of sex
offenders and is currently the only
residential program in Texas
offering services for youth who
have committed a sexual offense.Aids Testing Law Altered
Two recently enacted
legislative bills have drastically
altered the law regarding AIDS
testing. This change has specific
implications for Youth Commission
programs and staff.
The law specifies that 1)
testing for the HIV antibody is very
restrictive and screening or routine
testing is not allowed; and 2) strict
confidentiality must be maintained.
No statement may be made
regarding test results, personal risk
factors of an individual, or even
that a person has been or will be
tested or that he has been exposed.
Nurse/physician communication
only is allowed.Penalties for violation of
these laws is a Class A misdemeanor,
punishable by up to one year in jail
and/or a fine Qf up to $2,000.
Due to criminal penalties,
employees are asked not to
communicate this type of
information verbally, in writing, or
on electronic mail. If any employee
receives this type of information
they are instructed to notify Sandra
Fitzpatrick, Health Care
Administrator, immediately and a
decision for follow-up will be made
based on medical criteria and
guidelines within the law.
Compliance is mandatory to protect
staff from any personal liability.3
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Texas Youth Commission. Texas Youth Commission Notes, Fall 1987, periodical, Autumn 1987; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1031650/m1/3/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.