NY. More youth violence and injured staff at NY OCFS facilities

Less than a week after Griffo called for better safety measures at a state-run detention facility for young females in response to union claims of injuries to 18 of 33 of its aides, another staff member was assaulted.

Troopers said there was a “disturbance” on the afternoon of Jan. 17 among the residents and staff members went to go break it up. During the incident, victim Robert Jackson, 48, was struck by a thrown chair. He suffered a laceration to his nose, troopers said.

Kyasjia Baker, 17, was charged with third-degree assault and obstructing governmental administration, both misdemeanors. Her case will continue with a Town Court appearance on Feb. 13.

Griffo called the reports of injuries to aides “appalling” at the facility, and demanded immediate action from the commissioner of the state Office of Child and Family Services.

The Taberg Residential Center is a limited-security facility that provides counseling, education and other services to girls ages 13 to 18 who have been sentenced in Family Court for various crimes. Prior to 2011, the Taberg facility was an all-male campus, but that changed due to the closing of several other facilities in 2011, OCFS officials said.

OCFS executives are now blaming staff injuries on inadequate training. The fact is OCFS does not have an appropriate intervention system which is why OCFS’ facilities are seeing extensive injuries to staff. OCFS’s central training unit do not have the expertise or competence to train their staff how to maintain safety and security. OCFS’ training manual for instructors has more pages dedicated to instructing staff how large words should be written on a white board and what color marker should be used than there is instructions on the actual safety procedures themselves. Asking OCFS’ administration and training unit to provide a plan to fix their training program is akin to asking them to admit their own incompetence.

According to the union, 18 of the 33 Youth Division Aides, as well as the facility director, were out of work due to injuries suffered in attacks from the female residents.

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2 Responses to NY. More youth violence and injured staff at NY OCFS facilities

  1. Same Problems Same Answers says:

    OCFS employees have already been murdered, raped, badly beaten and injured. Employees have spoken up but then they give up. People have offered to be the voice for all but no one ever wants to be involved.

    These are not new problems for OCFS under Commissioner Gladys Carrion. She has done absolutely nothing to correct them and make the facility environments safer for all. Just like this failed “Sanctuary Program” the agency continues with is not brand new and just rolled out into facility. It was implemented somewhere around 3 years ago and has made working conditions more dangerous.

    OCFS needs an immediate complete regime change or the juvenile justice system needs to be separated from OCFS and under a different agency or made into its own. You can’t operate Juvenile Justice Facilities the same way you do Day Care Facilities. They’re in desperate need of real leader!

  2. State worker says:

    Facilities are out of control staff getting injured all over the state. Someone is going to die.please help

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