Dignity in Court Proceedings

Children across Texas are often forced to wear shackles around their wrists and ankles when appearing before a judge, even when charged with low-level crimes or when they have no previous criminal history. The practice is dehumanizing and often traumatizing for young people. We work at the county level to limit the use of shackles and allow juvenile defendants to wear clothing other than a correctional uniform for court proceedings. We are also working to encourage the adoption of a statewide rule banning the indiscriminate use of shackling.