While politicians and investigators analyze how a sex abuse scandal occurred at the Texas Youth Commission, it's up to Ed Owens to fix it.

Associated Press

Ed Owens, acting executive director of the Texas Youth Commission, was a regional director for the state prison system and was named to the No. 2 job five years ago.

The selection of Mr. Owens as acting executive director, the man who will be responsible for correcting the failures Jay Kimbrough's commission identifies, was greeted warmly around the state.

"I have not heard anything other than positive about Mr. Owens," said Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, who has criticized the Kimbrough appointment.

Mr. Owens, 48, is a career correctional administrator, a "prison brat" whose father also served as a correctional officer.

He is well suited for the TYC job, said Wayne Scott, former executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. "Ed is very, very strong in interpersonal skills, and he is a guy that prefers action rather than being in an office," he said.

"People have the tendency to open up to Ed. He connects with people. So I think he will get to the bottom of whatever their issues are in a hurry."

Mr. Owens started his career as a correctional officer in Huntsville in 1977. After earning a degree in criminology and corrections from Sam Houston State University, he worked his way up the ranks, serving as warden at several institutions.

In 1995 he became a regional director for the prison system, and was named to the No. 2 job five years ago. Executive director Brad Livingston said he was sorry to see Mr. Owens leave. "It's not easy to lose such a dedicated, veteran employee," he said.

Mr. Owens and wife, Rissie, have one son.

Rissie Owens is presiding officer of the Board of Pardons and Paroles – a relationship which has raised some conflict of interest concerns.

Still, even critics of the prison system laud Mr. Owens' appointment.

"I have not known him to make administrative decisions or policy that I thought was out of line," said defense attorney Bill Habern.

Mr. Habern said he didn't know how much Mr. Owens knows about juvenile justice, but "he's pretty well thought of. ... I hope that he will show that he is a stout and strong administrator who will not tolerate [nonsense]."