|
|
| Ariz. working to fix youth prisons to avoid lawsuit |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 08/18/2004 |
|
State officials hope to have problems corrected at youth prisons "within the next few weeks" to stave off a possible federal lawsuit, Gov. Janet Napolitano says. Napolitano toured Catalina Mountain School near Tucson on Monday to see some improvements at one of the youth correctional centers. She said Arizona's Department of Juvenile Corrections has to rebuild trust with the public and with Juvenile Court judges. "What we are working toward is a Juvenile Corrections system that we can all be proud of," Napolitano said. A U.S. Department of Justice report released in January said Arizona's youth corrections centers suffered from inadequate security measures and inadequate suicide-prevention programs. The report also said youths were kept separate from peers for long periods of time despite objections from mental health professionals and staffers weren't available to take youths to restrooms. Presiding Pima County Juvenile Court Judge Hector Campoy said there is a "noticeable commitment" on the part of Napolitano and department administrators to rebuild the system. "We are guardedly optimistic that with the governor's continued attention on ADJC as well as whatever oversight is offered by the Department of Justice, the agency will be significantly improved," he said. Corrections officials have already started a number of preventive measures including removing "anchor points" from housing units so that suicidal youths won't have a place to hang themselves and renovating "cottages" so that each has a safe room where suicidal children can be watched. State lawmakers approved an extra $3.5 million for the department this fiscal year to pay for renovations, train staffers and hire new staff members. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think