3 February 13 - 19, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents House of Secrets Dallas County hired a new juvenile services director after reports of mistreatment and misconduct at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, but ignored reform advocates in the process. BY KELLY DEARMORE D allas was hot on Sept. 10, espe- cially at 1 p.m. without a single cloud in the sky. In the parking lot of the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center in West Dallas, it seemed to be even hotter with all the as- phalt and the absence of shade. The only bit of relief was found near the front doors of the detention center. That’s where a small crowd gathered to bring attention to yet another damning re- port detailing a number of failings from in- side the building behind them and to demand change. Nearly a dozen members of the Dallas Black Clergy for Safety, Equity and Justice and their partners gathered in a circle, held hands and prayed. The blazing Texas heat was nothing com- pared to the intensity of the fury and convic- tion of those who were praying. One by one, advocates for the incarcerated youth of the facility spoke to a small assembly of local me- dia. With each turn, the indignation felt by each speaker grew more vivid, more passion- ate. They were there to speak on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves. Earlier that day, The Dallas Morning News published a story about a report by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General that found Dallas County detention staff falsified “observation sheet” documents in an apparent effort to cover up how youths in the center were sub- jected to unsanitary, unsafe conditions while also being disciplined with excessive, un- lawful periods of solitary confinement. The conditions outlined in the report were dis- covered during a surprise inspection in 2023. As people leaving and entering the de- tention center passed by, the Gathering Ex- perience’s Irie Session issued a fiery demand for accountability. Then Marcus King of Disciple Central Community Church said the kids in the center had been “failed by the system designed to protect them.” The living conditions and treatment of the detention center’s inhabitants wasn’t a story only relevant to a few families of a few jailed juveniles, as far as the advocates were concerned. The message was clear: this is- sue was about the children of Dallas, about the future of Dallas. When he stepped to the microphone to bring the press conference to a close, Mi- chael Waters, the president of the Dallas Black Clergy, called the center a “house of horrors.” He then delivered a knock-out blow to any thoughts that the misconduct and neglect that had been reported on was nothing short of a life or death matter. Waters described a trip he and his young family took to Charleston, South Carolina. They visited a “separation room” where en- slaved African families were split apart after arriving on American shores. He said he was struck by the small size of some of the shackles on display. “There were shackles fashioned for chil- dren,” Waters said in an urgent way that suggested the trip had been the day before, and not years prior. “I set our 2-year-old, at the time in his stroller, in direct proximity to those shackles, and I can tell you that they would’ve fit. We are here today in many ways because this center has not only treated our children worse than dogs, but in many ways have treated them like slaves. And our heart breaks for our children.” But the advocates were there not only to bring light to what had happened, but to be- gin enacting change in how the future would be shaped. Darryl Beatty, the former Dallas County juvenile detention center executive director, had resigned in July. In his place was Mike Griffiths, serving as interim direc- tor while the county searched for a new, full- time director. | UNFAIR PARK | Nathan Hunsinger The Dallas Black Clergy team advocates for change at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center. >> p4
