Judges Send Kids to Detention In Exchange For Kickbacks
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."
| < Late Night: No Time , 1973 and Mars | Albuquerque Police Ignored 911 Calls; Settle Suit After Murder-Suicide > |
