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| Juveniles brawl at N.J. corrections center |
| By The Trentonian |
| Published: 09/17/2004 |
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Some 21 young inmates at a juvenile detention center in Bordentown, N.J. got into a massive brawl Tuesday afternoon, officials at the Juvenile Medium Security Facility said. Sources, who brought the incident to The Trentonian's attention, said many of the juveniles are gang members. And that may have been the impetus for the fight, which began during the movement of a large group of inmates from one location to another. The facility's executive director, Howard Beyer, said the Juvenile Justice Commission's Office of Investigation and Office of Gang Management is investigating the incident. Beyer said many of the inmates, who range in age from 11 to 18, are in one way or another gang affiliated. "Is this a gang altercation? I'm not sure. Our early indications say no, but we can't rule it out at this stage of the investigation," Beyer said. He maintained that whether the fight was gang related or not, the facility will continue to function with the hopes of rehabilitating its inmates. "The (gang issue) is as real an issue for us as mental health is and education," Beyer said. "Our responsibility is to rehabilitate and change lives around to produce good citizens for New Jersey." None of the young men were seriously injured during the brawl, and Beyer said it began with only one or two of the inmates and grew as punches were thrown. Officials said no weapons were used in the incident or seized following it. The facility has 115 single locked cells, spread across four tiers. The center is "the anchor of the system," and a last stop for adjudicated youth with serious charges or longer sentences. Beyer said if the investigation concludes that individuals acted criminally in Tuesday's brawl, and are of age, there is a possibility they may be bumped up to the Department of Corrections, with adult offenders. |
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