Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Public Sector Gulags
The world will never know how Eric Perez died
Ursus:
Comments left for the above 'Other Views' piece, "Reform underway at juvenile justice agency" (by Gov. Rick Scott, 07.26.11, Miami Herald):
ytrewq · 07/27/2011 10:58 AM
Whenever Rick Scott uses the word "reform" look out. Someone is about to get plooked.FromthePulpit · 07/27/2011 11:37 AM
FROM THE PULPIT...
The struggle continues and efforts made to improve the
quality of services provided to detainees must not be lost. It is of great importance that Secretary
Wansley Walters, not negate the importance of collaborating with the faith
community, and other Civic organizations, to ultimately advance the efforts to
improve the Juvenile Justice system in the state of Florida. I echo the Secretaries gratefulness to have
been chosen and recognized by the Georgetown University's Center for Juvenile
Justice Reform project. Yet with this
honor the faith community and the work Pastors do in the community, must be
brought into this dialogue. To improve
reform, create, and implement anything within a community, without the input of
Clergy, and the social aspect that we cover on a daily, weekly, monthly, and
sometimes on an annual basis, is to negate an intricate part of the whole process
of reform.
True research is a welcome venture for all who seeks
improvement in a system that is broken.
However, research that impacts reforming agendas, must address the
grassroots issues that permeates the communities of color. I used communities of color, because the
African American community is not the only ethnic group impacted by the Juvenile
Justice System, but I dare say all the ethnic groups are impacted, but by in
large the margins, and the gap between ethnic groups shows a larger number of
African America, and Caribbean tips the scale, in the amount of arrest and
commitments.
The answers needed to address the needs of mothers, and
fathers who have children who are incarcerated, is not always found in the
systems and policies created by politicians.
Often times these needs find themselves on the Pastor's desk. Therefore, accessibility to venues where by
Clergy can voice their position on matters involving families that are in need,
must be a part of the prevention agenda, and reentry process. The Old African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a Child,"
rings true when one seeks to address matters at the grassroots level. This proverb is diminished when the state and
church sees themselves as being separate, rather than being one in the struggle
for reform and equality across communities.
Pastor Mark Gardner, Senior Pastor
Northside Church of God
Miami, FLlmmd · 07/27/2011 12:34 PM
surely ricky, you're not proposing the outsource DJJ to GEO or another privately run company are you?
Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.
Ursus:
abc25 - WPBF
Governor Takes Teen's Death At Juvenile Facility 'Personally'
18-Year-Old Died While In Custody At Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center
Terri Parker, Reporter
POSTED: 3:58 pm EDT July 27, 2011
Attorney Bill Zoeller and Maritza Perez speak to WPBF 25 News' Terri Parker about the governor's letter to The Miami Herald.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Gov. Rick Scott said he is taking the death of a teenager at a West Palm Beach juvenile detention center "personally."
In a letter to The Miami Herald, Scott wrote that he "won't rest until every unresolved question" about the death of Eric Perez is answered.
Perez died July 10 while in custody at the Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
An attorney for the family said the 18-year-old died after hours of complaining of severe headaches and vomiting, even though guards knew he was in distress and didn't call 911.
The Department of Juvenile Justice has since fired two employees and suspended six others.
Scott said he wants to reduce waste and inefficiency at expensive juvenile facilities, and he's advocating less expensive community-based programs that hold juveniles accountable and create jobs instead of paying for "unnecessary juvenile incarceration."
"I think it shows that even he recognizes that what went on at this facility is clearly, clearly unacceptable," attorney Bill Zoeller said Wednesday in response to Scott's surprise support. "I think he recognizes that common sense by a few people would have prevented Eric's death."
Perez's mother said she's happy the governor is getting involved.
"I don't want no other kids to die the way my son did," Maritza Perez said.
The investigation into Perez's death continues.
Copyright 2011 by WPBF.com.
Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Governor Takes Teen's Death At Juvenile Facility 'Personally'" (by Terri Parker; July 27, 2011; ABC News 25 - WPBF):
cv2065 · Jul. 27, 2011 5:26pm EST
Scott is interested only in what this negligence will cost in state legal fees to satisfy the suing parents. He has no interest in the well being of others, unless its with respect to big business profits or when voting time comes around.TimothyBarbieri · Jul. 28, 2011 7:58am EST
scott has some endearing attributes...hes a great liar thief and really good at embezzlement....and we voted for him because better liars are more likely to get to the truth...its like buying a gift...buying gifts allows us to demonstrate how little we know about a person...i give scott credit for at least being interesting.
Copyright 2011 by WPBF.com.
Ursus:
Uh-oh. Somebody wasn't too thorough about doing employee background checks...
The below article was also published on July 27th by the Orlando Sentinel under a slightly different title: Staffers suspended in teen's death at West Palm Beach lockup have checkered work histories, as well as by the Palm Beach Post, also on the 27th, under the title Guard, suspended in teen's death in custody, was fired from last job.
-------------- • -------------- • --------------
The Miami Herald
Posted on Tuesday, 07.26.11
Guard suspended in teen's death was fired from last job
Two of the staffers suspended after the death of a teen at the West Palm Beach lockup have checkered work histories.
By CAROL MARBIN MILLER
CMARBIN@MIAMIHERALD.COM
Eric Perez
When Laryell King was forced to leave her job at the Department of Juvenile Justice lockup in Orlando for "negligently" leaving a youth alone in a room, juvenile justice administrators left a clear warning in her personnel file: "NO rehire in any position."
But rehire her they did.
King ended up on the payroll at the DJJ lockup in West Palm Beach. Now, she is one of five guards suspended after staffers ignored the suffering of 18-year-old Eric Perez, who died at the West Palm Beach juvenile detention center following seven hours of vomiting, hallucinating and complaining of severe headaches.
The person who hired King despite the admonition, lockup superintendent Anthony C. Flowers, has a work history that raises other questions.
When Flowers was hired by the state, he was the assistant program director for the Florida Institute for Girls, a 100-bed prison for hard-to-manage girls that was being closed down amid a Palm Beach County grand jury report that found it rife with violence, sexual abuse by guards, and endless lockdowns due to chronic short-staffing.
"The culture of some staff was to protect each other, fostering cover-ups and unprofessional conduct," the grand jury wrote in February 2004.
The employment records for Flowers and King were provided to The Miami Herald in response to a public records request. Samadhi Jones, an agency spokeswoman in Tallahassee, declined to comment about the two employees. "While the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is committed to being open and transparent to the greatest degree possible, due to ongoing investigations by the DJJ Inspector General's Office and the West Palm Beach Police Department we cannot comment further on the death of the young man at the Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center," Jones said Tuesday.
Eric, who turned 18 on July 2 while detained at the West Palm Beach center, was locked up after officers found marijuana in his possession when they stopped his bicycle for a broken light. The arrest violated his probation years earlier on a robbery charge.
Beginning around 1:30 a.m. on July 10, the teen began to complain of a severe headache, and vomited the rest of the night. He also appeared to be hallucinating, waving his arms and screaming at officers to extricate him from an imaginary assailant. Records and interviews suggest guards moved Eric by dragging his mat from room to room, but did nothing to help him until just before 8 a.m., when they called for an ambulance. By the time paramedics arrived, a heart monitor showed only a "flat line," records show.
King, who had been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, was first hired by DJJ to work in the Orange County detention center in late 2001. She had been working for a security company at the time. Her evaluations from the early 2000s were generally positive, though unremarkable. "Officer King is dedicated to her work and the department," a supervisor wrote in March 2005, for example. "She's respectful, cooperative and committed to excellence."
But in March 2008, Jeffrey Lonton, the then-superintendent of the Orlando lockup, moved to fire King.
King had "negligently" left a youth alone and unsupervised for 45 minutes, until another staff member heard the child "banging on the door" to get out. "Ms. King also placed three youths in the laundry room the same day unsupervised; they let themselves out after several minutes," a memo states. "Additionally, after reviewing video surveillance, the same events had occurred over several days in the month of February."
The memo noted that King would be allowed to resign "in lieu of termination." The subject line of the memo stated: "NO rehire in any position for Laryell King."
But in September 2010, King applied at DJJ for a job as a probation officer and correctional treatment specialist. When asked on the employment application why she left the Orlando lockup, King gave a one-word answer: "advancement."
On Sept. 28, 2010, Flowers informed King of her job offer. "In accordance with the provisions of the state of Florida's personnel rules, you have been selected for position of juvenile justice detention officer," he wrote.
She was making about $25,000 a year.
Less than a year later, when administrators suspended King, personnel managers in Orlando were asked in writing by DJJ whether King had ever been counseled or disciplined. "No disciplinary actions in the personnel file," was the response.
King could not be reached for comment.
Flowers was hired by DJJ in October 2003 as a senior detention officer. At the time, he was working as the assistant program director at the Florida Institute for Girls, or FIG. His application said he was "responsible for the day-to-day operation of the intensive mental health wing" of the prison, where he supervised staff, monitored compliance with state regulations and standards, and evaluated employee performance. He had been an assistant superintendent at the West Palm Beach lockup before his employment at FIG.
Though FIG was being paid $5 million per year by DJJ to operate the treatment center, a company personnel manager refused to answer a single question about his performance when asked by juvenile justice administrators doing a background check.
"What were the major duties performed?," a reference check asked. "Per company policy cannot give out information," was the reply. "How effectively did he perform these functions?," the questionnaire asked. "Same as above," FIG answered.
Roy Miller, who heads the Florida Children's Campaign, questioned why administrators would have hired a guard from a program that was rife was abuse — and why they would have allowed a contract agency to refuse to provide personnel information that is covered under the state's public records law.
"It's a matter of public record that girls were abused sexually and physically at the Florida Institute for Girls," Miller said. "Why they would hire employees from FIG without knowing explicitly their employment record is beyond comprehension," said Miller, whose group has long been a DJJ watchdog.
DJJ records obtained at the time by The Herald showed one girl complained that she had been taken to the facility's "boom boom room," where officers "slammed her head into the wall and struck her in the mouth." The girl suffered bruises and welts, said a report that verified the girl's claims.
After his return to DJJ, Flowers rose quickly through the ranks: senior detention officer, assistant detention center superintendent, superintendent. His work was described as "outstanding" and "exceptional" in yearly evaluations. His personnel file shows he has never been disciplined. His yearly salary is about $65,000, records show.
Flowers, who was suspended after Eric's death, did not return calls for comment from a reporter.
FIG was shuttered about the same time a Palm Beach County grand jury blasted it, but not because DJJ administrators took the action. Lawmakers sliced the program's funding from their spending plan, at the urging of children's advocates.
"It was a hellhole for girls," Miller said.
Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.
Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Guard suspended in teen's death was fired from last job" (by Carol Marbin Miller, 07.26.11, Miami Herald), #s 1-20:
sinbadsailor · 07/26/2011 10:36 PM
This is exactly why we need to privatize these institutions. Government employees cannot be trusted!PirateCafe · 07/27/2011 06:53 AM in reply to sinbadsailor
This is exactly why privatization WON'T work.jdizzle · 07/27/2011 07:08 AM in reply to sinbadsailor
Abuses in privatized prisons are infinitely worse and accountability even less transparent. Like it or not, incarcerated people still have rights.sinbadsailor · 07/27/2011 03:56 PM in reply to jdizzle
What's worse than the death of a child?jdizzle · 07/27/2011 04:12 PM in reply to sinbadsailor
It's a matter of scale.
Nothing is worse, of course, than the death of a child. However, privatized prisons are notorious for the kind of negligence that led to this young man's senseless death. The difference is that the private prison's negligence is a design element of a profit-driven enterprise in an institution where the profit motive has no place. You can expect many more such deaths in Rick Scott's Florida:
http://www.privateci.org/rap_geo.html[/list][/list][/list][/list]
frankinwiltonmanors · 07/26/2011 10:37 PM
Can you say 'affirmative action hires'?kareem98 · 07/27/2011 05:17 AM
Read the article again !!! The private company was over the Florida Institute for Girls were the the young ladies were being sexually assaulted !!!! Thats why in the article Roy Miller asked why was a contract agency able to keep personel records private when under state law it should be public records .PirateCafe · 07/27/2011 06:52 AM
Privatization will only exacerbate this problem. There will be less accountability, costs will be cut to improve the company bottom line, and more children will die. Mark my words.
Privatization without firm oversight is a losing proposition, and legislators know this but knowingly ignore it while taking campaign contributions from the very companies who will treat the children like chattel and profit making widgets. Profits over child protection.
See Our Kids Miami/Dade for a prime example.neiman1 · 07/27/2011 06:59 AM
Is it incompetence or corruption? Government can't seem to do anything properly, especially cleaning their ranks of the stupid and lazy.jdizzle · 07/27/2011 07:06 AM
Police stopped him for a broken light on his bicycle? If you're going to make up an excuse for profiling, you can do a little better than that.yokolee · 07/27/2011 11:36 AM in reply to jdizzle
And for a little bit of weed incarcerated and paying with his life, how sad[/list]
Tomasin · 07/27/2011 08:03 AM
I look like someone is going to profit from these crazy ideas, this may be unconstitutional!!!!ZOOT · 07/27/2011 08:27 AM
I was a treatment specialist for 26 years at Michigan's 'reform school' for boys, 12yrs old to 21. I was also a Union Officer and stewart. We had incompetent and abusive staff hired on occasion, but the Union Reps worked with Management to weed out the ones who wouldn't or couldn't learn to follow reasonable guidelines for teatment of our 'students'. Management encouraged staff and youth to report abusive treatment, and documented allegations and occurances, followed progressive disiplinary practices and provided counseling and training opportunitiues for staff with problems. They also closely monitored problem staff, so they weren't given the opportunity to repeat 'mistakes'. Where is the accountability in Florida's DJJ? Are ALL DJJ management personnoll incompetent? This Dept. needs a thurough hosecleaning, professional training and strict monitoring by an outside commission, in my opinion.Observer101 · 07/27/2011 09:04 AM
Very interesting! I find it interesting that the article never says what this guy died from???? He was in the slammer for about 8 days before he started seizing...... HUMMMMM, could someone have slipped him a bunch of drugs? WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH? And should someone be held responsible (manslaughter, at the very least)?
This also points out SOME of the MANY problems with our Juvenile systems......shelacked · 07/27/2011 01:10 PM in reply to Observer101
Heard it was appendicitisconstructionqueen · 07/27/2011 05:17 PM in reply to Observer101
Ruptured spleen[/list]
leo · 07/27/2011 09:45 AM
at 18 he was on parole for a robbery a few years ago!? wow! nice citizen!fdgsr · 07/27/2011 10:14 AM
"DJJ records obtained at the time by The Herald showed one girl complained that she had been taken to the facility's "boom boom room," where officers "slammed her head into the wall and struck her in the mouth." The girl suffered bruises and welts, said a report that verified the girl's claims."
There seems to be a culture of abuse by people in some capacity of authority. Police, military, and even county court house employees display their sadistic tendencies in deal with the public. When entrusted with inmates arrested and not yet tried or with incarcerated people, they take it to extremes. 'Law and order' is a catch phrase is interpreted to mean, "I am the law and I order you to do what I say." Government employment seems to be a ticket to abusive treatment. The club held over the head of those who refuse is heavy indeed. I wonder which hurts most, a club held by a legal flogging agent, or a club held by a sadistic misfit in law enforcement? Let us deepen the vetting process for all positions of law enforcement that could give license to sadistic officers to vent their nature.PirateCafe · 07/27/2011 10:53 AM in reply to fdgsr
It is much worse in a private system where accountability does not exist.fdgsr · 07/28/2011 12:44 AM in reply to PirateCafe
Very likely, but I have no personal experience with private run prisons. I am relying on my own experience over my life time. It includes little incidences when a government employee of any level deals with a citizen, they assume the full stature of the dictatorial power of the state to emphasize their power. Police seem to have the mentality that they can torture and intimidate with impunity. This has always been the case and individual police even use weapons to threaten when it is not justified as self defense. Watch a police arrest in Florida. Guns are drawn in a threatening posture and the suspect ordered to go down to the ground and forced if he doesn't comply hastily. Even in the driver license office, you are subject to the 'authority' at each phase of the process.[/list][/list]
Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.
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