Resource: Juvenile Incarceration: Morales v. Turman

By:

March 1, 1971

The University of Texas at Austin

At age 15, Alicia Morales was forced to work and turn her wages over to her father. When she protested, her father committed her to the Texas Youth Council for disobedience. The commitment was agreed to by her parents, but did not involve any notice of charges, court appearances, or legal representation. Alicia Morales became the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit filed in 1971 against Dr. James Turman, Executive Director of TYC (Morales v. Turman, Civil Action No. 1948). The case resulted in sweeping reforms to the commitment of juveniles, both in Texas and nationally.

https://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/william-wayne-justice/morales-v-turman