Juvenile Detention

Photography  by Jeff Wilson    

            

    The Texas Education Code requires the development of a "juvenile justice alternative education program" by the juvenile board of a county with a population of 125,000.  In 1995, the Brazoria County Juvenile Board and the eight school districts throughout Brazoria County entered into an agreement establishing the Brazoria County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program, best known as Boot Camp.  The Brazoria County Juvenile Probation Department provides juvenile probation officers, drill instructors, support staff and the physical facility necessary to operate the program.  The Angleton Independent School District provides the educational aspects.

    Students are assigned to Boot Camp for a minimum of 13 weeks and advance through three levels to be eligible for release.  The advancement through the levels is based on a point system.  Once this has been accomplished, the student will be advised of the recommendation regarding their release.  If the student's ten-n of expulsion has expired, the student will exit the program.  If the student's term of expulsion has not expired, the student's home district must give permission for the student to return to public school.  If the request is denied, the student will remain in Boot Camp until the expulsion expires.  Release dates are coordinated with the end of grading periods, which can effect the length of stay at Boot Camp.

    Boot Camp presents students who have had behavior problems in the school or the community with the opportunity to continue their education while gaining self-discipline and respect of authority.  However, it is up to the student whether appropriate choices will be made which will ultimately determine their length of stay and the benefits of the program.  For those students who do exhibit a willingness to conform to the regiment of Boot Camp, it is hoped that this ability to be successful will continue with them as they return to their home school district.

GETTING ASSIGNED TO BOOT CAMP
    Students enrolled in any of the eight Brazoria County School districts or Brazoria County Probationers between the ages of 10 and 16 are eligible to be placed in Boot Camp.  Students are placed in this program in one of three ways:

EXPULSION FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES:
    Section 37.007 of the Texas Education Code lists those crimes which, if committed on campus, mandate that the student be expelled from school.  They are:

EXPULSION FOR SERIOUS or PERSISTENT MISCONDUCT
    When a student misbehaves in the public school to such an extent that the local district exhausts all its discipline measures, a student can be expelled for serious or persistent misconduct.  This is only done after a student has been placed in the school districts alternative placement and is unable to maintain discipline.

CONDITIONS OF PROBATION
    Those students who are on probation and at risk of being sent to the Texas Youth Commission may be placed in Boot Camp as a final chance to complete probation and remain in their homes.

    Students are bussed to Boot Camp by their local school district. It is the student's responsibility to be at the designated bus stop at the appropriate time.  These times vary from district and are as early as 5:30 a.m. The bus ride is silent and any acting out is not tolerated.  Students are greeted at Boot Camp by drill instructors that search each student as they exit the bus.
Daily Schedule

6:00 - 7:45  Arrival, Search, Inspection, Sick call, Breakfast, Drills, & Restroom break.
7:45 - 8:00 Company Formation
8:00 - 11:15 Classes
11:15 - 12:00  Lunch and Restroom break
12:00 - 1:00  Company marching and drills
1:00 - 3:00 Classes Resume
3:00 - 3:30  Afternoon orientation and restroom break
3:30 - 4:00 Job assignments, Marching & Physical Training, Student EducationalActivities, Discipline class.
4:00 - 5:30 Recreational Activities, Discipline Class, Search and Dismissal
5:30 - 6:00 Intensive Discipline Class

EDUCATION AT BOOT CAMP
Boot Camp incorporates academic curriculum with fundamental military concepts.  The mission of the educational component is to enable students to perform at grade level.  The program focuses on English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Some electives are offered.  A high school equivalency program is also offered.  Special educational services are provided cooperatively by the home district and the Angleton Independent School District.  The military component is utilized to assist the student in accepting and respecting authority.  Drill instructors oversee the movement and discipline of the students in a "boot camp" type fashion.  Strict classroom rules, military drill and physical training help the students develop self-discipline.

ATTENDANCE
Attendance at Boot Camp is mandatory.  This includes instructional and non-instructional days.  For a student to be given an excused absence they must follow strict guidelines.  Students must call by 8:00 a.m., and advise the Boot Camp that they are not attending and why.  Absences due to illness require a doctor's notice.  Absences due to family emergencies or various appointments must be approved by the probation officer and confirmed by a note.  Failure to comply with this attendance policy can result in the student being placed in detention.

MILLITARY COMPONENTS
DRILL AND CEREMONY:
When students arrive at Boot Camp, they are introduced to drill instructors who immediately begin to teach them ba ' sic military commands, postures and how to move uniformly with the company.  Drill and Ceremony is used by the Boot Camp to move the students from one point to another, while maintaining control.  Marching teaches the students to perform asi a team and gives them a sense of pride.

PHYSICAL TRAINING:
Physical training is Boot Camp's way of conditioning a student's mind and body.  Students are pushed physically to do as much and as well as they can.  Each student comes to this program with different abilities and different levels of confidence.  Through physical training, all students will leave here knowing they have been encouraged to stretch their abilities and work to their greatest potential, A feeling of success is found as they run the mile just a bit faster, become a part of the 100 club; (those who can do 100 or more sit-ups), or by facing the challenge of completing the obstacle course without error.

DISCIPLINE:
The key to Boot Camp is discipline.  While it is the goal of this program that each student become self-disciplined, it is often necessary to provide discipline for misbehavior.  Students are informed of consequences of various behaviors when they arrive and find that discipline is quick and consistent.  Discipline is usually found in extra or more strenuous physical training.  The final discipline used at Boot Camp is being placed in Juvenile Detention. 

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