Considering that the Texas definitions of adult and minor are flexible when it comes to the death penalty, is it any surprise that there’s a case claiming that a 14-year-old was recently strip-searched in Waco?

The Texas Civil Rights Project (which is already suing McLennan County Jail for strip-searching adults without good cause) filed suit in federal court on Friday against the Bill Logue Juvenile Justice Center for strip-searching a juvenile whose suspected offense was (and no, we’re not kidding) truancy.

TCRP argues that strip-searches without reasonable suspicion that the suspect is concealing contraband are a flat-out Fourth Amendment violation (they cite Doe v. Calumet City, 1995, where the judge called unnecessary strip-searches “demeaning, dehumanizing, undignified, humiliating, terrifying, unpleasant, embarrassing, repulsive, signifying degradation and submission.”) “It’s bad enough McLennan County is strip-searching adults, but humiliating children like this is unimaginable,” said TCRP attorney Scott Medlock.

This article appears in September 12 • 2008.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.