Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => The Troubled Teen Industry => Topic started by: Anonymous on January 13, 2004, 11:28:00 PM
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http://amazingforums.com/forum/BS4/186.html (http://amazingforums.com/forum/BS4/186.html)
Atty. Mark S. Bodnar posted 1/12/04 4:56 AM
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Topic: Former Prosecuting Attorney urges you not to send you child to Casa by the Sea, or any other institution outside of the USA.
I am a former Franklin County, Ohio Assistant Prosecuting Attorney who specializes in, and mainly practiced in, Juvenile Court. I handled roughly 1500-2000 juvenile cases, both as an assistant prosecuting attorney and criminal defense attorney. I have handled numerous juvenile cases, both in Franklin County, Ohio and Cuyahoga County, Ohio, including murder, rape, theft, abandonment, drug trafficking, drug abuse, felony assault, theft, carrying a concealed weapon, etc. I have witnessed first hand the devastation and sorrow that those cases have caused the children, their families, and victims. I do not claim to be an expert on all the many complex aspects of juvenile behavior, but I do have some experience through the criminal system and independent research on why juveniles commit criminal behavior.
Until recently, I did not know personally anyone who had been sent to Casa by the Sea, or any other facility outside of the United States for behavior modification. The purpose of this letter is to urge any parent considering sending their children outside the United States to reconsider their decision. It is my opinion that the decision to send your child outside of the United States is a very poor decision that you may later regret.
My reasons for urging you not to send your child to Casa by the Sea or any other facility outside of the USA are not motivated by any dislike for these facilities. I will assume for argument purposes that Casa by the Sea is the greatest behavior modification school in the world with a tremendous success rate. That being said, for the following reasons, I urge you not to send your child outside the U.S.A., into Mexico, or any other developing countries with inferior laws and safeguards:
1. Plain and simple ? Mexico, and other countries are not subject to the same laws as the United States. Although the US laws and regulations are not perfect, they are some of the best in the world. Other countries, including Mexico, attempt to model their system after ours. Once you relinquish custody to an organization operating outside of the U.S., you are taking a risk that your child may be subject to abuse and mistreatment by staff or fellow detainees without the protection and accountability of the US Justice System.
2. If you relinquish custody to an organization operating in another country, which prevents the child from communicating with their parents, you have no way of knowing the condition of your child at the facility. Even if you learn your child is being mistreated, you have very little recourse to hold the perpetrator accountable under that country?s criminal justice system.
3. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse will take place at facilities which confine juveniles against their will whether they are operating in the United States or other countries. This is a fact no matter who is operating the facility or where it?s operated. I have observed abuse and mistreatment in the best facilities and the worst. It does not matter whether the facility is operated by a religious organization, public entity, or private company; abuse will occur. Having stated this, the laws of the U.S. will usually provide you and your child more protection.
4. The rules and regulations pertaining to sanitation, food safety, building codes, air pollution, water safety, hazardous materials, and thousands of other regulations we take for granted each day in the U.S., which protect our citizens from harm are much more superior than Mexico?s or many other counties. It is a fact that if you send your child to a facility in another country, you are taking a risk that their health may be compromised while detained there.
5. Next, the U.S. has some of the best doctors, hospitals, and health care in the world. Again, by sending your child outside of the U.S., you risk inferior health care if your child becomes ill.
6. Often times, facilities locate outside of the United States specifically because they know they are not governed by the same laws and regulations as the United States. This allows the staff of these facilities to use means of ?treatment? which may constitute abuse in the United States and avoid U.S. laws.
I would again like to state that I know very little about whether Casa by the Sea or any other facility outside of the U.S. is good or bad at modifying a teen?s problematic behavior. Based on my years of experience with the criminal justice system as an assistant prosecuting attorney and criminal defense attorney, I can make some observations that may be helpful to you when making your decision on what treatment program is in the best interest of your child.
1. The best agencies, organizations, and schools helping troubled teens are right here in the United States.
2. Do not let the monetary savings of an out of the country facility guide your decision.
3. Do not give up custody of your child without professional advise from counselors, religious leaders, attorneys, or other child experts.
4. Do not make quick decisions without spending numerous hours researching a facility. Find out the positive and negative aspects and definitely visit the facility.
5. Any facility that promises you a success rate of over 70%-80% is probably lying. Very rarely have I observed the best facilities achieve more than 60%-70% long-term success rate.
6. Be careful with facilities that have all the right answers to your difficult questions. Many facilities pay parents to say positive things about their facility.
7. Don?t be brainwashed by the organizations if you feel you have made a mistake sending your child away, bring your child back to the United States into a local facility.
8. A high percentage of teenagers lie, steal, use drugs, have unprotected sex, are depressed and exhibit anti-social behavior. So do a lot of adults. The frequency of this behavior usually gradually diminishes in most teenagers over five to ten years whether you seek professional help or not. If you make the decision to send your child to a facility for behavior modification, talk to as many experts as you can before you make the decision and whatever you decide, do not send them outside the United States.
If you have any brief questions regarding this posting, you may contact Attorney, Mark S. Bodnar at 216-579-9100. Please limit your questions solely to the issues of whether to send your child outside of the United States.