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Judges Send Kids to Detention In Exchange For Kickbacks

By TChris, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 11:34:36 PM EST
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As Randy Newman reminded us long ago, It's Money That Matters. A more contemporary reminder comes from two judges in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who took kickbacks from juvenile detention centers in exchange for incarcerating kids, sometimes against the recommendations of their probation officers.

The judges allegedly concealed $2.6 million in payments from one of the owners of the centers and an unnamed person, authorities said. At the same time, the judges also worked to ensure that the facilities reaped millions of dollars in business by sending them a steady number of juveniles.

The judges apparently worked to end funding for an existing detention center after a judge's lawyer-friend cooked up a scheme to build a new detention center (assisted by the judge's contractor-friend) that received guaranteed funding from the court. [more ...]

To make sure that the flow of offenders continued, the judges or their agents allegedly pressured probation officials to recommend detention, and pressured other court workers to recommend the facilities.

Hat tip to TalkLeft reader Peter G., who wonders whether this is the worst thing ever. Maybe not, but there is surely a ring of hell reserved for judges who lock up children so they can stuff their pockets with cash. The judges "agreed to a plea deal that would send them to prison for seven years, according to an agreement filed in federal court Monday."

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    Judges Send Kids to Detention In Exchange For Kickbacks | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    Sounds like the worst thing ever.... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kdog on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 08:28:59 AM EST
    Peter G nailed that one....its got all the nastiest sh*t on earth covered...corruption, child abuse, greed, imprisonment, torture.

    What a world man....

    Kudos to Philly's Juvenile Law Center (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Peter G on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 09:26:08 AM EST
    The national juvenile justice champions and public-interest firm called the Juvenile Law Center, based in Philadelphia, has been trying for several years to find out what was wrong with the juvenile court system in that county, but have been thwarted by the states' higher courts.  They have the story here, with links to the court documents in the criminal probe. They didn't know until the story of the judges' plea bargains broke the day before yesterday that corruption, not just meanness or indifference, apparently lay behind the systematic denials of kids' right to counsel and excessive incarceration rates there.  Anyone moved to help could consider making a donation to JLC.

    gee, i don't see what (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 11:58:39 PM EST
    the problem is here, it's free-market capitalism at its finest.

    Privatization (none / 0) (#2)
    by mmc9431 on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 04:56:54 AM EST
    How does the majority of the legal profession feel about the privatization of our prisons and detention centers? Are they serving us better or are we just creating another Blackwater?

    Logic would seem that the people that operate these would have a financial interest in seeing that prisoneers served maximum sentences and that our revolving door policies were continued. I would also think that they would be strong lobbyists for our "tough on crime" approach.

    i think it was plato (none / 0) (#4)
    by cpinva on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 08:39:06 AM EST
    Logic would seem that the people that operate these would have a financial interest in seeing that prisoneers served maximum sentences and that our revolving door policies were continued. I would also think that they would be strong lobbyists for our "tough on crime" approach.

    who said (i paraphrase), "in all matters corrupt, follow the money!", or something like that.

    Parent

    My neck of the woods (none / 0) (#6)
    by BarnBabe on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 09:38:29 AM EST
    I could not believe that judges, not one but two,could be so corrupt. Why did they think they were so above the law and would not be caught? So between ministers, judges, and a x-Nasdaq official, we really are seeing that crime is a career choice in all walks of life. Nothing is sacred anymore.

    Was anything ever sacred? (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 10:23:08 AM EST
    If you ask me preachers, judges, politicians, and money-changer have always been among the most criminal professions.  Thieves in nice clothes in the halls of power...definitely not new.

    Parent
    No (none / 0) (#8)
    by Claw on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 10:59:04 AM EST
    Nothing was ever sacred, but truly corrupt judges are among the most vile and dangerous animals around.  One expects prosecutors to occasionally forget their duties as "officers of the court," but it's up to the judge to keep an already unfair system within the realm of sanity.  

    Parent
    Until we replace judges with robots... (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12:20:30 PM EST
    (and may that never, ever happen:)..we will have to deal with this sh*t.  I guess we should be glad it is relatively rare here compared to other countries or the past.

    It is why the power of all officials...from Supreme Court justices on down to your local beat cop...must be limited as much as possible while still allowing them to do their respective jobs.  And watch 'em like hawks.

    Parent

    "but there is surely a ring of hell..." (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12:48:57 PM EST
    but there is surely a ring of hell reserved for judges who lock up children so they can stuff their pockets with cash.
    It's called Tartarus.

    Truly disgusting actions by these judges. Vomitous.

    The two judges are suspended from all duties (none / 0) (#11)
    by Peter G on Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 01:35:06 PM EST
    as of Wednesday, per PA Supreme Court, effective immediately.

    Judges Send Kids to Detention In Exchange For Kickbacks | 11 comments (11 topical)

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