What does NY and MD Juvenile Justice have in common?
- Assault and injury rates to staff and youth at unprecedented highs after changing their restraint policies.
- Riots where the youths, not the staff, control the facilities
- Escapees
- Releasing Juveniles into non-secure and community settings prematurely resulting in civilian casualties
NY: One juvenile transferred from a secure setting escaped from a non-secure juvenile facility. The youth shot a Rochester police officer in the head causing, according to newspaper reports, brain damage.
NY: One juvenile transferred from a secure setting into a group home, stole $160 from the group home and assisted by another youth, to not get caught, beat and killed a group home worker.
MD: In addition to the 88% spike in injuries at the juvenile centers themselves, violence is now spreading to the communities. MD recently released a youth with 15 prior convictions to home arrest with an ankle bracelet. The youth was arrested May 29, 2009 on a juvenile robbery charge where he hit and choked a woman before taking her purse and cell phone. On July 1, 2009, the youth was released with only an ankle bracelet into the community. The shooting of two persons including a 5 year old girl occurred the next day. The youth disconnected his bracelet and shot a 5 year old child in the head and shot another teen with whom he had argued. Story.
Tags: juvenile justice, maryland juvenile justice, maryland juvenile violent, maryland restraint policy, new york juvenile justice, new york restraint policy, prone restraint, restraint