MD: Maryland Cannot Control its Juvenile Justice Centers – It’s the administration, not the staff

Maryland’s juvenile justice monitor on Monday outlined widespread problems at the state’s secure treatment center for troubled youths and said staff at the center’s oversight department “hampered” an investigation into a violent escape of 14 youths in May.

The Maryland Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit report noted that staff and youths at the facility feared for their lives during the outbreak of violence.

the facility’s staff members “consistently remarked that they do not have the tools to do their jobs.”

“Even the ambulance drivers were so afraid that they fled the facility,” the report said.

Staff were beaten and punched.  One staff member was surrounded by 11 juveniles, was beaten and had to crawl to safety.  The department and administration “minimized [aka lied] the extent of injuries to staff by making public statements that injuries were limited to bruises and cuts when they were more serious.” One staff member suffered  “a broken nose, a black eye, and a head contusion.”

One boy punched a staff member in the face then grabbed the injured staff member’s radio and, in shouted: “You got our youth and we got your staff!”  Full Story. 

Since the MD put the new administration in place injuries at MD Juvenile have spiked.  In 2008 injuries spiked 88%.  In 2009 injuries spiked 270% up from 2008.  Total – the administration and the administration’s policies are responsible for a 358% increase in injuries to staff and youth.  Not to mention a total loss of control of their facilities.  Full Story.

While Juvenile Officers cannot use prone restraint and are restricted from using other methods of intervention even when their or other juvenile lives are in jeopardy, somehow it is still legal for MD police to use prone restraint when these 14 youths escaped.

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