Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash

AP via Yahoo ^ | 2/11/09 | MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARYCLAIRE DALE

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“I’m a judge and I’m sickened by this. Please don’t paint us all with the same brush. I actually care about the youth who come before me.”

My experience, when my son ran afoul once, was pretty positive. I think one of the things I would like to see changed is to remove every temptation from the justice system by taking the collection of fines and fees away and turning it into the general fund. Ohio had to do that in several cases in which small towns existed only due to the police force and judge. (The town only had twelve residents not part of the government).

[GovernmentShrinker]

This wasn’t about fines and fees, it was about huge kickbacks for incarceration in privately run youth facilities.

[JSteff]

Particularly in the Peoples Commonwealth of PA. Rendell probably wishes he could do this to every Conservative in the state.

[JSteff]

“I’ll bet a corrupt judge is *very* popular in prison.”

Not only will he NOT go to prison he will probably get his full pension w/benefits. After all this is PA we are talking about.

[HollyB]

Did you run across any information about what youth homes they were put in (other than Juvenille prisons)? What to see if there are any links with those.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Wow. Thanks, I just looked that up.

[JSteff]

“Please don’t paint us all with the same brush. I actually care about the youth who come before me.”

Sorry. So did those two judges to the tune of what they could make off each child they sentenced.

[Marie2]

Various judges I’ve stood before (I’m not a criminal - just property stuff, victim stuff, petty juvenile stuff (traffic tickets)) have all struck me as refreshingly decent.

How could these judges have been so cruel?

[darkangel82]

The Feds are handling this. He will go to prison and then some.

[mgstarr]

The Feds are corrupt, vindictive and agenda driven.

But they also get it right sometimes.

[darkangel82]

Yep. This was one of those times.

[John123]

Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer

Isn't that Illegal? I wonder why this went on so long?

[Texas Eagle]

Uhhhh...how much would it cost for me to sponsor two kids?

Just kidding!

Sort of.

Hypothetically speaking, though.....

[Gondring]

..allow their victims each a few whacks with a baseball bat, perhaps?

[Righting]

Well, “thanks” to Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan for behaving with our beautiful USA as if it was Palestine or some deeply corrupted third world country.

[mgstarr]

Unfortunately they’re neither the first nor the last and from EITHER party. (D)’s and (R)’s don’t always matter in power and control matters. No guarantee of true philosophy or integrity, just electability.

[Fred Nerks]

Suspended Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. and decertified Senior Judge Michael T. Conahan plan to plead guilty this Thursday to charges they took $2.6 million in kickbacks from two individuals tied to Pennsylvania Child Care LLC, a company whose juvenile detention centers earned nearly $30 million from county contracts. Court documents outlining the charges against Ciavarella and Conahan said a Luzerne County attorney who was co-owner of Pennsylvania Child Care made payments, and Pennsylvania Child Care was co-owned by Moran’s law partner Robert J. Powell. LINK

[rednesss]

Pretty incredible huh??? You’d think we ran a gulag system like the Soviets.

[Born Conservative]

Not only will he NOT go to prison he will probably get his full pension w/benefits. After all this is PA we are talking about.

The plea agreement is heard by a Federal judge tomorrow. Supposedly they are going in for a little over 7 years, most likely in the Big House at Lewisburg (most "white collar" crimimals there are put in the "camp", a very low security section of the prison).

[Righting]

agreed.