Thread. This story of rampant physical and sexual attacks against children inside Texas's prisons for children is not an isolated incident of "bad guards." This is what child cages look like in every state. We must draw a few lessons: nytimes.com/2021/10/15/us/…
First, this is what Texas's child prisons look like decades after so called "reform." When the purpose and function of a bureaucracy is control, domination, punishment, violence, discipline, submission, and crushing the human spirit, it cannot be "reformed."
Second, notice that almost none of the rampant "violent crimes" against children were recorded by Texas police and prosecutors and judges as "crimes." When "crime data" is reported to you, it systematically excludes crimes against people in cages.
Third, a network of child prisons that itself records 7,000 incidents of brutality against children in a year would require justification even if you are a "law and order" person. These are catastrophic harms that most media don't make a part of discussions about "public safety."
Fourth, these aren't policy failures. We know very well how *not* to do this, and nearly every other corner of human civilization doesn't do it. These are choices, and it is a problem of power. This rampant abuse actually *benefits* a small group of people who own things.
Fifth, like police, prosecutors, judges, probation, and parole, child caging bureaucracies have their own logic of expansion and whack-a-mole. Unless we reduce their size and power, no "reform" will ever put and end to the violence.
This is important reporting by @tarangoNYT and @edjsandoval.
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