Cain was appointed in 2018 by Gov. Greg Abbott and was tasked with resolving staffing and violence issues that have plagued the org for more than a decade. But like her predecessors she saw mixed results.
"Camille Cain was deeply invested in trying to reform the agency and turn it into a trauma-informed environment for youth in a way that met their needs," said Michele Deitch, director of the Jail and Prison Innovation Lab at UT-Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Advocates saw Cain's work dovetailing with their own — trying to reduce the numbers in secure facilities and advocating for smaller treatment hubs nearer to children’s homes.
Many have expressed concern about the state's five overly large secure facilities that are in out of the way, rural settings.
"I think there were limitations on what she could accomplish given the inherent problems with large congregate facilities in the middle of nowhere," said Deitch.