Albany (12/14/09) - The state's troubled juvenile justice system has been examined by an internal task force created by Governor Paterson. The task force is now calling for juvi to be reformed, claiming thousands of kids are at stake.
Guarded juvenile institutions across the state are supposed to
help hundreds of New York's troubled youths and prevent them from recommitting the crimes that landed them inside.
But a new report finds the state facilities are not working for 12 to 15 year olds.
The task force says that Juvi costs more than $200,000 per kid and is not doing a good job.
"New York State is harming its children, wasting money, and endangering its public," the task force said in its report. "This cannot continue."
At four facilities, the federal justice department found guards routinely used force as their first response, breaking bones and teeth and causing other injuries.
At one facility in upstate Fulton County, a 15-year-old Bronx boy died -- a homicide but there were no criminal charges.
One of the biggest problems, the report finds, is a matter of distance. Three quarters of admissions come from New York City. But often times, they are taken far from home.
For kids at a Delaware County facility, home was about 125 miles away.
The state is trying to shut down the worst Juvi spots but people say that you can't just take away the jobs of the people that work there and putting dangerous criminals back on the street is bad for public safety.
Questions:
1) Where did this story take place?
2) When did this story take place?
3) What is Juvenile Detention supposed to do for the kids?
4) What did the state department find that the guards are doing to the kids?
5) How much does Juvi cost per kid?
6) What happened to the 15 year old bronx boy?
7) Why is the state having a hard time shutting down the worst Juvi spots?
Info and video taken from NY1
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