Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away

Kids for Cash scandal in Pennsylvania involved two judges, Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, who sent over 2,500 children and teens to a for-profit detention center while lining their pockets with cash. This scandal emerged in the post-Columbine era and was considered a violation of children's rights.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 02 April 2024
Publisher: Astra Publishing House

The Kids for Cash scandal in Pennsylvania was a judicial justice miscarriage that sent more than 2,500 children and teens to a for-profit detention center while two judges lined their pockets with cash.

In the early 2000s,Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan of Luzerne County,Pennsylvania were known as no-nonsense judges. Juveniles who showed up in their courtrooms faced harsh words and even harsher sentencing. In the post-Columbine era,many people believed that was just what the county needed to ensure its children and teens stayed on the straight and narrow path. But as more and more children faced shocking sentences for seemingly benign crimes,and a newly built for-profit detention centre filled up further and further,a sinister pattern of abuses and bribery emerged.

Through extensive research and original reporting leading into contemporary times,award-winning journalist Candy J. Cooper tells the story of a scandal that the Juvenile Law Center calls “one of the largest and most serious violations of childrens rights in the history of the American legal system.”

The Kids for Cash scandal began in 2003 when Ciavarella and Conahan were caught accepting $2.8 million in bribes from the owners of the for-profit detention center,Youth Development Inc. (YDI). The bribes were in exchange for sending thousands of juveniles to YDI,even if they did not have a criminal record or had committed minor offenses.

As part of the scheme,Ciavarella and Conahan would receive a percentage of the profits generated by YDI for each juvenile they sent there. They would also receive additional bonuses for sending more juveniles to YDI,and for keeping them there longer.

The bribes were paid in a variety of ways,including cash,gifts,and campaign contributions. Ciavarella and Conahan would also receive lavish gifts,such as vacations,expensive dinners,and tickets to sporting events.

The scandal was uncovered in 2009 when a former YDI employee,Robert Mericle, came forward with evidence of the bribery scheme. Mericle had worked at YDI for several years and had become increasingly concerned about the way the company was operating. He had seen firsthand how the owners of YDI were using their influence to get juveniles sent to their facility,and how they were using their profits to line their own pockets.

Mericle went to the FBI and provided them with evidence of the bribery scheme. The FBI launched an investigation,which quickly grew into a national scandal.

As the investigation unfolded,it became clear that Ciavarella and Conahan had been receiving bribes from YDI for years. They had used their positions as judges to send thousands of juveniles to YDI,even if they did not have a criminal record or had committed minor offenses.

The scandal had a devastating impact on the lives of the children and teens who were sent to YDI. Many of them were subjected to harsh conditions,including overcrowding, inadequate food, and inadequate medical care. Some of them were even beaten or sexually abused by staff members at YDI.

The scandal also had a devastating impact on the community of Luzerne County. Many people in the county were outraged by the actions of Ciavarella and Conahan,and they felt that their trust in the judicial system had been betrayed.

The scandal led to the resignation of Ciavarella and Conahan,as well as the arrest of several other individuals who were involved in the bribery scheme. It also led to a national conversation about the role of judges in the criminal justice system and the need for greater transparency and accountability.

The Kids for Cash scandal was a judicial justice miscarriage that sent more than 2,500 children and teens to a for-profit detention center while two judges lined their pockets with cash. The scandal was uncovered in 2009 when a former YDI employee,Robert Mericle, came forward with evidence of the bribery scheme. The bribes were paid in a variety of ways,including cash,gifts,and campaign contributions. The scandal had a devastating impact on the lives of the children and teens who were sent to YDI,as well as on the community of Luzerne County. The scandal led to the resignation of Ciavarella and Conahan,as well as the arrest of several other individuals who were involved in the bribery scheme. It also led to a national conversation about the role of judges in the criminal justice system and the need for greater transparency and accountability.

Weight: 462g
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781662620133