IN LOVING MEMORY
DANIEL JACK MATTHEWS 2-14-1986 -5-31-2003
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"As long as the child will be trained not by love, but by fear, so long will humanity live not by justice, but by force. As long as the child will be ruled by the educator’s threat and by the father’s rod,
so long will mankind be dominated by the policeman’s club,
by fear of jail, and by panic of invasion by armies and navies.”
"There never was a time when a major social problem was solved by beating a child. And there never will be such a time...
For centuries adults have injured children and
have lied about it, and other adults have heard those lies and then merely
turned away... we must begin putting the blame where it belongs."
Some is my opionion , others are articals.
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/CAPITOLNEWS/605030326
Juvenile Justice hit
with $11M budget cut
Legislature slices
proposed $33M increase
Children's advocates said they were blindsided by a $11 million cut legislators made Monday afternoon to the Department of Juvenile Justice budget, an agency they said had not had a significant raise since 1994.
"This decision came as a complete shock to us because the allocations were agreed to by the conferees that have oversight over the juvenile-justice system," Roy Miller, president of the Children's Campaign, said at a news conference Tuesday. "The programs are in emergency mode."The DJJ was to get a $33 million raise from its current budget, but the cut will make the increase about $22 million.
DJJ spokesman Tara Collins said, "We would like our providers to receive as much monetary resources as possible. (But) We are certain the Legislature has done the best job they can with the resources they have."
Many providers have said that, for several years, funding rates for services contracted through DJJ have fallen far behind the rate of inflation and the need. DJJ contracts with private providers to operate juvenile detention centers, runaway shelters, residential programs and after-care programs.
The agency's budget has come under scrutiny this year with the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson, who died Jan. 6, a day after he was restrained, hit and kneed by guards at the Bay County juvenile boot camp. No one has been charged in Anderson's death.
The Legislature decided to do away with boot camps and form a new system, similar to the highly-regarded boot camp in Martin County that focuses on education and after-care counseling. But even that boot camp is scheduled to fold this summer due to lack of funding.
"We needed $33 million to get off the cliff," said Mark Fontaine, executive director of the Florida Juvenile Justice Association. "Programs are going to have to see if they can stay afloat. Providers are concerned and they don't want to be the next headline because they don't have the resources to do the job."
Contact Democrat senior writer Stephen D. Price at (850) 671-6548 or sprice@tallahassee.com
Originally published May 3, 2006
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Young offenders at risk
Reports of
deaths and abuse have racked the state agency for troubled
youth.
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One of the most egregious child
abusers in Florida is the very agency that's supposed to rehabilitate troubled
youths: the state Department of Juvenile Justice.
It is responsible for
661 confirmed cases of abuse or neglect since 1994, according to records from
the Florida Department of Children & Families obtained by the Orlando
Sentinel.
Nearly two-thirds of those cases occurred in the past four
years.
Since 1998, at least six boys died from injuries suffered at
juvenile-justice facilities, although state investigators blame only two on
abuse and neglect. Among them is 12-year-old Michael Wiltsie, who was crushed by
a 320-pound counselor trying to calm the boy by pinning him to the ground at a
facility near Ocala.
A very large part of what is wrong with our system here in Florida
Is that we have the programs , But they have no bridge tying them together. EX- when you go to one place for help with your child ,say school and they do not have the resources it would be nice if they were able to point or refer you in the right direction.
I also have a problem when our Governor has been notified by staffing in the Department of Juvenile Justice ( as you will read below of Pinellas county DJJ IN 2001) That too this date Governor Bush after the tragic deaths of our children can still state the system works as in the last article below !
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/3/20/149586.html
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Bush is not in favor of closing the
state's boot camps. |
As for the family's
request to shut down all the state's boot camps, Gov. Jeb Bush is standing his
ground.
"This tragic case is something that we need to look at,
investigate, prosecute if appropriate," said Bush. "And we'll wait to see what
the state attorney recommends in that regard, but it doesn't mean that we should
get rid of a policy that has yielded a good result."
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I have heard similar statements since the death of my son and that of Omar. When will everyone stop talking ,to make real changes for the children.
In another article Sherrif Coats states his PC Boot camp has had a 90 percent failure.
03/16/06 Boot camp failures
were unquestioned
[click and scroll down
to letter]
Cathy Corry. Letter to the Editor. St. Petersburg
Times.
A disappointed Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats just learned that his expensive juvenile boot camp has had a near 90 percent failure rate during its 12-year history. Bob Stewart, Pinellas County commissioner, was "stunned."
Closing of the Boots Camps as far as I can see is a change in name !
This will not stop the abuse of our children ,weather they have committed a crime or not they have a right to evolve and learn from there mistakes. If we as society can allow teacher that have raped , molested and taken the lives of our children in hit and run crimes, How is it our children long term sentences to death for crimes less criminal?
http://dplyer.com/pinellasjjc/Arrest%20Data/PJAC%20analysis%2001-04%20to%2012-05.htm
School-Related Arrests in Pinellas County Public Schools
January 2004 through December 2005
Prepared by Justice4Kids.org
January 25, 2006
Students in Pinellas County public schools were subjected to arrest on one hundred three (103) unique charges applied 2334 times between January 2004 and December 2005.*
However, 43% of all counts came from just three (3) charges: Disruption of School Environment, Disorderly Conduct and Trespassing on School Grounds. It is these three charges for childhood “behavioral” conduct that should no longer be subject to arrest in public school.
Listed below are the charges and
the number of times each charge was applied. The list is in descending order by
Count and then alphabetically by Charge.
Charge Count
1.
Disorderly
Conduct......................................................................................
383
2.
Disruption of
School Environment............................................................
375
3.
Battery............................................................................................................
271
4. Trespassing on School Grounds................................................................ 249
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Letter to the Governor Prior to Dannys Death in regards to Pinelass DJJ , also e-mails from guards.
Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center is severely understaffed.
The following three page letter was sent by a member of the staff at the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center to Governor Jeb Bush. Note: download takes about 1 minute at 28.8kbs.
This was received from justice4kids Contact Us
November 9, 2002
A
First Warning:
1. The staff at the Pinellas Detention Center is being forced
to hold over, work 16 hours without overtime and without proper notice. This
leads to burnout, poor moral, decision making, and appropriate attention to
special needs youth (suicidal, mental, physical needs)
2. The administration
does not seem to care about coverage, leaving many youth and staff vulnerable
for a disaster
3. The turn over rate has increased in the last 2 years, with
no replacements or help coming at an adequate rate
4. Many labor laws are
being broken here, if only someone could alert The Department of Labor for an
audit or inquiry here to help prevent a major incident to the detained
population
5. This is a first warning for; staffing patterns, youth to staff
ratio, staff forced to work hold over hours, turn over ratio, attention to
special needs youth (mental, suicidal, physical), adequate staff coverage in all
units
6. Contact the teachers, who have a first hand view of the daily
procedures of what is happening behind the closed doors. They are not affected
by the administration, and can give a better account of how something bad is
going to happen. They work in the portable by the break area with the soda
machines, go there during lunch 11:30am to 1:00pm, or call them at
538-7115
7. The staff is forced to work overtime, but must flex their time by
what the Supervisor tells them, like if you work 16 hours in a row, they might
let you leave 2 hours early for 4 days, instead of giving you a whole day off.
So if you work 7am to 3pm, you holdover 3pm to 11pm, you must return at 6:30am
and maybe leave 2 hours early for 4 days. But most staff holdover twice a week,
leading to burnout.
8. Rules are established and then changed to fit the
Administration desires, like we have certain hold-over days, but without proper
warning, your told, "your holding over", forget the previous rules that were
established,
9. In a real job, if you work anything over 8 hours you get
time-in-a-half. Why doesn't PJDC staff get that?? Please contact the Federal
Dept of Labor, before a youth hangs himself due to staff
shortages.
HELP!!!!
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News Clipping ,about the below e-mail.
Report affirms excessive force against teen
The Department of Juvenile Justice's inspector general says a youth was run into a door frame at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center.
By CURTIS KRUEGER,
Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002
LARGO -- When a 15-year-old inmate called Florida's abuse hotline last year, claiming an officer had punched him in the mouth, authorities quickly ruled it "unsubstantiated."
In fact, a Department of Juvenile Justice analyst decided there was no reason to interview other youths in Pinellas County's Juvenile Detention Center, saying they couldn't have seen the incident because of darkness and obstructed views.
But last month, the Department of Juvenile Justice's inspector general concluded that the officer had used "unnecessary and improper force" on the youth. Though it did not cite Marcus Parker, a juvenile detention supervisor, for punching the boy, it said he had lifted the boy by his shirt and led him out a cafeteria door where he "was run into the door frame."
The boy suffered a cut lip.
What made the department change its mind? Two mothers, whose shoe-leather investigation turned up additional witnesses, including some of the youths initially passed over, that the DJJ and the Pinellas Sheriff's Office had not interviewed. They found the extra witnesses by talking to parents who were waiting in line to visit their children at the detention center and asking if they had heard about the incident.
Both women praised the DJJ Inspector General's Office for a thorough investigation that ultimately validated the boy's claim that he had been treated improperly. But both said they were frustrated by the system, which they say had initially brushed off the 15-year-old's complaint.
"I don't think that they bothered to investigate at all, to tell you the truth," said the boy's mother, Cassie Riley of Clearwater. "There was a room full of children that were there that had to have seen what went on."
"This is the type of thing that keeps happening," said Cathy Corry of Clearwater, who runs the Web site www.justice4kids.org, which tells parents how to file complaints about abuses within the juvenile system. She said the system adopts a "the brick-wall, deaf-ear syndrome."
Both said the episode raised questions about how well the juvenile justice system polices itself.
Others might be concerned, too. Corry said she received a call from a representative of the U.S. Department of Justice, who told her that the department was conducting a preliminary inquiry to determine whether abuses were widespread in Florida's juvenile justice system.
DJJ spokeswoman Catherine Arnold said the agency was in the process of firing Parker for "unbecoming conduct," violation of rules, insubordination and failure to provide truthful information during the course of an investigation. The incident with the 15-year-old was part of the reason, but not the whole reason, for that decision, she said. Parker has been on leave for six weeks, she said.
Parker could not be reached for comment.
Arnold denied that the initial DJJ investigation, called an "administrative review," was subpar.
"These administrative reviews are detailed, they're thorough and they're serious," she said.
Alleged Abuse of Youth by JDC Staff...
November 22, 2001
CR is a mom whose son had been at Pinellas JDC for about two months.
November 2001, CR's son, Steve, complained to his mother, during visitation, that he had not been issued clean pants in 2 weeks. Mom brought this to the attention of a supervisor standing nearby and the supervisor claimed it was a lie. The supervisor asked another youth about clean pants and that youth confirmed Steve's story. After visitation, as Steve was being escorted back to his mod, Steve was injured by a supervisor who slammed into him. Here is Steve's account as described by his mother in e-mails to me:
Thursday, November 22, 2001
I just wanted you to know that this evening I received a call from the detention center to let me know Steve had called the abuse hotline last night. I was told the Sheriff’s department and the child protective services were both there to investigate the complaint. I was told by detention that Steve was o.k. he was seen by the nurse but I wasn't really told what exactly happened. I next called the sheriff's department and spoke with the deputy who answered the call. She explained to me what happened. It seems like after I left visitation last night Steve and the supervisor were walking back to the mod. They were arguing the supervisor put his hand on Steve's shoulder. I guess Steve swung his elbow up and told him to get his F- hands off of him. At this point I guess the supervisor took Steve down. Somehow during all of this Steve got teeth marks on the inside of his lower lip. Steve alleged that the supervisor hit him but the supervisor said he didn't. The officer photographed the injuries (which I'm told were not serious). The officer didn't have enough cause to file charges against the staff member. Basically it was Steve's word against his as there were no witnesses. Now, I believe this all happened because Steve opened his mouth about the pant issue. Of course, I can't prove it and I don't want to make waves or make things harder for Steve. Just thought I'd give you a follow-up on the well-trained and educated people who are overseeing our children. I'm scared to think what is happening to my son in that place. --- CR
Saturday, November 24, 2001
I spoke with Steve last night. I finally called the detention center at 7:00 p.m. because Steve hadn't called yet. He told me it was Supervisor Parker who punched him and he also said someone kicked him in the left side of his head. He said every time he opens his mouth he hears a popping noise in his ear. He said there were plenty of witnesses. He was leaving the visitation room and as he stepped outside the room Parker slammed into him. All the kids that were in that room were witnesses. He said the deputy didn't even ask him if there were any witnesses. She made him tell his story twice then told him it didn't make sense. I want to know why a Doctor didn't check him out. I am so angry. I asked him if Parker has bothered him since the incident and he said he hasn't seen him. I don't want him anywhere near my son. Steve also said something to the effect that Parker stated "I've been waiting for my chance." I can't say those were the exact words. I've decided that if Curtis Krueger [writer for the St. Petersburg Times --- cc] is interested in listening to me I can give him a mother's horror with the system for the last year and a half. --- CR
This incident has been assigned Case #0107442 at the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Department of Juvenile Justice. Please call the OIG if you have ANY information. The number is 1-800-355-2280. You can remain anonymous. You may also click Contact Us if you have any information about this incident. Nothing ever changes unless we speak up. --- Cathy.
UPDATE: In February 2002, this investigation was completed by the OIG with the following determination: "UNSUBSTANTIATED that excessive force was used". However, several youth witnessed this incident, but none of them were interviewed for the investigation.
On February 28, 2002, justice4kids.org requested that this case be reopened by the OIG. On March 7, 2002, this investigation was reopened, per Lynne T. Winston, Esq., Acting Inspector General of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The investigation has been extended to interview all witnesses.
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3-6-06
Through my research and life experiences I find a Governmental system to have the general feeling that children can be and will be reformed through violence as long as the violence is not from the parent! Such as boot camps , Departments of Juvenile Justice and Departments of children and family, plus many more crossed the great USA. While there are persons such as State Rep Gus. Barriero that seem to be fighting for changes in the better care of our children ,I hope I will see the day when he makes this real.
Articals with State Rep Gus Barriero ,E-mails, Meetings and Opinion.
Dec 21, 2004 - 1:23a.m.
Dear State Rep. Gus Barreiro,
First Happy Holidays to You and Yours.
It has been 1 year 6 months 19 days and 2 hours since the death of my heart and soul Daniel Jack Matthews at DJJ's Pinellas JDC. It has also been about 14 months since you told me my son's death would be investigated and those responsible would be held accountable. Not to mention you would call me in two weeks after the special hearing at the college in Clearwater. Though Mrs Corry has repeatedly assured me you have been working hard to protect our children, I must wonder since you could not even keep a simple promise as making a call. Just like the system that forgot were I lived to tell me my son was dead or it's Rep's (1) from DJJ to tell me if I could not afford a funeral the state would cremate my son and dispose of the remains (like he was dirt on the floor). And let's not forget good old Mr Bankhead, that when I called could only say 'it was a fight, so what do you want from me.' Just that call would have helped me believe someone cared. So Why! FOREVER IN TEARS DIANA
From: Dianamdd
To:
gustavo.barreiro@myfloridahouse.gov
Sent: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 08:58:06
-0500
Subject: Thank You !
Dear Rep. Gus Barreiro.
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We have even adopted a zero tolerance in our schools .Which lead to case like that of Christopher and many more, this in no way exempts the responsibility of the parent , but it also should not give the right to others to abuse our children when we need help !!!!!
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Schoolhouse to
Jailhouse Track
The Diary of Christopher Sholly Today this was received from Christophers mother! Were is the help for this young man, reguardless of any crime. HE IS WORTH THE EFFORT. aS FOR THE REST WITH NO HEART DO NOT EVEN SIT THERE AND TRY TO SAY THIS PARENT IS NOT CRYING FOR HELP!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today,my son
Christopher tried to commit suicide. All of the past 4 |
If you raise a child to feel like a criminal while in a learning enviorment or detention center the end result will be that of it's teaching! Or worse they will harm themself! More then parents raise a child and while there are cases the problem is that of the home. There are also cases of it coming from society.
While the rights of the parent has been curtailed to the exstream ,were as if a parent were to yell at there child , Child protective services comes in to prevent such a action. This is taught to our young the minute they enter school !
I can understand the need to teach children that abuse is wrong , But first we as a society must learn the difference between abuse and normal parental control of our children behaviors.
Our system that will judge the parent so fast with in seconds of knowing them and at times never taking the time to see the facts will stand up and say, We will place your children in Foster home,DJJ ,Boot camps and many other facility using the same training we use to teach our young solders and or harsh judgement and skills then we use on adults, That molest , rape and kill our youth !( Worst our teachers go free killing , molesting and raping our children)
This means restraint , yelling ,demoralizing, degrading and any/all other means to gain compliance of the youth in our care.! In short everything YOU as parents shall and will be arrested for while trying to teach your child right from wrong. We as Government officials shall do and in force.
Our children can not be reform the same way as an adult in our system and in many ways they are treated worse, for a child has know right to defend themself. Children need Love, understanding ,knowledge and guidance.
While we must have a system it must change for the safety of our future, our children.
Upon entering the system children should be evaluated phycological for a period of time , this does,t mean 24 hours. If there is a 21 day stay, as here in Florida before deciding the guilt of the child then , get to know him/ her . Try to find out were the problems are steaming from. Hence there needs to be counseling!
Familys must be enforced to keep constant contact with the facility, be it through visit no less then 3 times a week or daily phone calls. This must include a counselor that has had constant contact with the child. Also the distance between family and center/ ability for family to get to site.
Nurses and officers must learn how to be willing to speak with the parent to find the best means for reabilataion for that child ! As of the present parents are look at as the problem , no one is will to hear them.
Officers need to be trained in general counseling , dealing with the family as a whole, compassion. Military tactics will not work!
Officers must not be allowed to work dobble shifts for any reason! As any parent knows when you are dealing with more then one out of control child and at times even one child ,You can become very tired and lose control your self.
Raising a child is a hard job to say the lest and takes a community of support. This is something our parents understood and as we have grown to need both parents working , we have lost this ability to have time for / remember that there is nothing more important in our community then the needs and well being of our children !
We need to start an Oversight commity made up of community members ( Children & Familys, YMCA.)and parents outside the DJJ and Sheriffs Dept. ,with the ability to make spot checks on these fasilty's and the appropriate suggestions for change / reports that will be heard , be it for the youth or staff !
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From: Dianamdd
To:
gustavo.barreiro@myfloridahouse.gov
Sent: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 08:58:06
-0500
Subject: Thank You !
Dear Rep. Gus Barreiro.
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We have even adopted a zero tolerance in our schools .Which lead to case like that of Christopher and many more, this in no way exempts the responsibility of the parent , but it also should not give the right to others to abuse our children when we need help !!!!!
Agency officials later acknowledged responsibility for Danny's death
HERALD WATCHDOG
Lost lockup tapes called coverup
Questions are being raised as to why surveillance tapes in state juvenile facilities continue to be so unreliable, years after concern was raised about them in several cases involving the deaths of inmates.
By CAROL MARBIN MILLER
cmarbin@herald.com
Omar Paisley, Danny Matthews, Shawn Smith and a now a 16-year-old named Robert.
Three children who are dead; a fourth who was allegedly raped.
All of their deaths or abuse happened in a state juvenile detention center. And in each case, one of the most crucial pieces of evidence was missing: the jail's surveillance tapes.
Lawmakers, child advocates, parents and agency critics are demanding to know why critical investigations at state juvenile detention centers have been hampered by either faulty videotape equipment or theft.
The latest case involves a 16-year-old severely mentally retarded boy, who allegedly was raped twice last summer by another inmate. That inmate, a 17-year-old accused sex offender, had been ordered by guards to change the younger boy's diapers.
An internal probe is underway by the state Department of Juvenile Justice into the disappearance of surveillance tapes that may have shed light on what happened to the boy. They were reported missing from a cabinet where they were stored at the Tallahassee juvenile detention center. The facility's superintendent, who has since been fired, told authorities the cabinet had been broken into twice.
An inspector general report, released Wednesday, also said the lockup's superintendent, Linda Edwards-Ellis ''did not report the alleged break-in, initiate an investigation, or request an inventory'' to determine which tapes were missing.
`MAJOR COVERUP'
Cathy Corry, a Clearwater-based juvenile-justice watchdog who maintains a website, Justice4Kids, said she has received dozens of calls or posts from parents complaining that officials could not confirm abuse allegations against their children because surveillance equipment didn't work.
''Talk about a major coverup,'' said state Rep. Gustavo ''Gus'' Barreiro, a Miami Republican and the agency's most persistent critic. ``These people should play the lottery.''
Tom Denham, DJJ's spokesman in Tallahassee, said the agency has made significant strides in improving its surveillance equipment in recent years.
''We are attempting to move to more modern video systems that don't require tapes,'' Denham said. ``We can only do that as funding permits.''
Denham pointed out that in Miami, for example, DJJ has installed a new $400,000 digital surveillance system that does not rely on tapes.
SYSTEM HAS WORKED
Besides, he said, police and prosecutors have successfully prosecuted youths for violent acts in detention centers using video equipment that did work properly.
``It's not like every time we have an incident the tapes go missing.''
But critics still question why the tapes and the equipment continue to be so unreliable, years after concerns were raised about them in several high-profile cases involving the deaths of young inmates.
Omar Paisley, a 17-year-old Opa-locka youth, died in June 2003 at the Miami-Dade Juvenile Detention Center after pleading with nurses and detention officers for three days for medical attention. He succumbed to a ruptured appendix, a condition that seldom results in death unless left untreated.
''During our investigation, we longed for a dispassionate, objective recording of the days preceding Omar Paisley's death,'' the grand jury wrote in the Omar case.
``However, we learned in the course of our investigation that although cameras were installed in the (lockup) nearly ten years ago, most were not working at the time of Omar's death.''
Advocates say they continue to hear that tapes aren't available.
''I got pretty sick of hearing that the videotape was lost, or the videotape didn't exist, or area in question wasn't covered by the videotape,'' said Corry.
``If I ever did hear there was a videotape, the parent wasn't allowed to see it. They were always told there would be other juveniles on the tape, as if the parent didn't see other juveniles when they went to see their child at the facility.''
SUICIDE CASE
Surveillance tapes would have also helped the investigation into the death of Shawn Smith, 13, who hanged himself at the Volusia County juvenile detention center, in October 2001. Classified as a high-risk for suicide because he was being bullied by another inmate, the youth was supposed to be under close watch by officers.
Tapes would have shown whether Shawn was being observed every five minutes as required, Barreiro said. And Daniel ''Danny'' Matthews was 17 when he died in May 2003 after a fight with another detainee at the the Pinellas County lockup.
Agency officials later acknowledged responsibility for Danny's death as guards had mistakenly opened cell doors for the two youths, knowing they had been spoiling for a fight.
RECENT CASE
In the latest case, Robert, who just turned 16, was ordered detained at the Tallahassee lockup in May after a juvenile judge grew tired of releasing him back to two elderly relatives, a grandmother and great-aunt, whom he had been accused of mistreating on four occasions.
At the heart of the DJJ internal investigation into Robert's alleged rape was a conflict between the testimony of youths detained at the center -- 10 of whom were interviewed -- and DJJ officers. The Inspector General report concluded the inmates' testimony was more credible than that of the guards.
Four detained youths told investigators they saw the inmate, Lee Donton, enter Robert's room, and saw a guard ''confiscate'' Donton's boxer shorts following an incident investigators believe occurred on June 8.
''It seems coincidental the missing videotapes for this [living area] are dated June 8, 2005,'' the report states. 'The missing videotapes cast doubt on staffs' stories.''
Seven employees, including Edwards-Ellis, have been fired as a result of the case, and five other employees were either demoted or disciplined
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