Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash

Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash

www.msnbc.msn.com

For years, the juvenile court system in Wilkes-Barre operated like a conveyor belt: Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer, given hearings that lasted only a minute or two, and then sent off to juvenile prison for months for minor offenses.

The explanation, prosecutors say, was corruption on the bench.

...two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I guess nothing really shocks me anymore. I look at news like this and just shake my head. Its the world I know.

Parents, don't let this happen to your kids. Don't let them be railroaded through the legal system like this. Maintain communication. Develop trust. Stay in touch. A life you are responsible for hangs in the balance.

Kids, keep your heads up. Question authority when it trys to subvert justice. Stay out of trouble. Try to work things out with your parents. You will end up needing them if you get into situations like this.

Justice system, get your act together!

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

edit: oops, my bad. I only looked at the first page of BAN, and failed to do a search. This is a repeat.

[edit on 11-2-2009 by Icarus Rising]

This doesn't happen in a vacuum. This behavior says something about the background or culture of the law enforcement/criminal justice system in PA.

Now because of the actions of these judges many of those kids and others that did real crimes will be able to get there records cleared by hiring a slick lawyer,

I wonder how many of those kids will now sue the state for the problems that there criminal convictions cause them.

reply to post by applebiter


You're right. There could be collusion between police officers, individuals in the DA's office, and other judges on the bench all getting a cut from the privatized juvenile detention facilities profiting from the injustice done to these kids. It is indicative of possibly widespread corruption in the whole Wilkes-Barre justice system.

Prisons run for profit by the private sector has always seemed like a bad idea to me.