The Texas Youth Commission has released hundreds of inmates as part of an overhaul of the scandalized agency.
The juvenile prison system population of about 4,700 inmates dropped by 650 between Jan. 1 and April 12, according to agency records obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
But agency Conservator Jay Kimbrough says more releases are needed to relieve problems related to understaffing and a high staff turnover.
The commission announced in early April that it planned to release 550 inmates who have completed their minimum sentences and haven't caused any trouble behind bars.
The move is part of a top-to-bottom investigation of agency policies amid allegations that surfaced that inmates were abused and employees who knew about the problems did nothing to stop it.
