Pennsylvania judge guilty -cash for sending juveniles to detention centers

[malaise]

for sending juveniles to his friends' private prison.

You cannot have for profit prisons.
-------------------------

<snip>
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkvHQieDR9euNIulBy-6HrNpOjLQ?docId=863f02b89f824c0296cdbbcf8a539bbf

Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella and Conahan of taking more than $2 million in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centers and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the facilities' co-owner.

A federal jury in Scranton convicted Ciavarella of 12 counts, including racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy, but acquitted him of 27 counts, including extortion. He is likely to get a prison sentence of more than 12 years, according to prosecutors — who revealed after the verdicts that a reputed mob boss turned informant helped them make their case.

Parents of juveniles who appeared before Ciavarella were outraged that he was released after the verdicts. Ciavarella often ordered youths he had found delinquent to be immediately shackled, handcuffed and taken away without giving them a chance to say goodbye to their families. Some of the children he ordered locked up were as young as 10.

Sandy Fonzo, whose son was jailed by Ciavarella — and committed suicide last year at age 23 — screamed obscenities at the judge and even poked him as he and his attorneys held a news conference on the courthouse steps.

[Dappleganger]

1. Under the jail.

[blondeatlast]

2. EXCELLENT. I"ve been following this story for a while. Thanks for the update,

I know we are all excited about Wisconsin but this is big too (and may get buried, sadly).

k/r

[barbtries]

3. "You cannot have for profit prisons."

oh, but we do. sadly, we do.

[LiberalEsto]

4. And the Bush Family Evil Empire

owns a stake in them, from what I've read in the past.

[barbtries]

5. cheney as well

if memory serves. i think he may have been part owner of the prison in texas that holds children.

[malaise]

16. Eventually they will wake up

when enough criminality and abuse of people's children are exposed.

[barbtries]

25. they'll wake up

when there is no more money to be made.

[hobbit709]

6. Put him in a hole so deep they'll have to send his meals in pressurized containers.

[ThomCat]

17. I like that idea.

Put him all the way down and tell him he can come back up only when he can claw his way up with his bare hands. :grr:

[Angry Dragon]

7. It seems the door is open for all kinds of civil suits

against this fine judge

perhaps he could have a nice talk with Bubba while he is in there

[DefenseLawyer]

13. Not to be a jerk but

being raped isn't really one of the reasons we send people to prison. It isn't a cliche, it is a very real part of the brutal, bizarre world of our prisons. I'm glad is judge was convicted and I'm glad he's being punished, but raped? No, probably not.

[Angry Dragon]

20. You are correct ......... poor taste

IF he goes to jail he probably will be kept away from the general public

[malaise]

22. Of course you are correct but

do you think judges like him care about the rape of the innocent people that he sent into that corrupt system? Did you see that mother on TV - her son committed suicide after he was locked up by this scumbag.

[Angry Dragon]

18. Wrong place

[Newest Reality]

8. Private Prisons

are a threat to us all! They don't just house prisoners, they require them to keep the profits flowing.

Not only is the overall care and management of the facilities and inmates usually below standards, (to cut costs) but they are an incentive to legislate Draconian laws and encourage various forms of entrapment. You have to fill those cells.

We also know what demographics are impacted by privatization.

Then, add a factory/plant to the facility, call it rehabilitation or training or restitution and give corporations a fantastic, almost free, taxpayer subsidized flow of revenue. The bonus is there are no benefits or sick leave to pay and the workers are captive, like slaves, with none of those pesky rights to get in the way.

This is a disturbing trend.

[Horse with no Name]

11. Especially because they require criminals who really aren't criminals

They are the most malleable and the most productive.
When all you have are people who have nothing to lose--there is no gain or no profit.
When you have people who have families and obligations--they are best because they want to get out of there--and if doing a good job makes that happen faster, then all the better.

This is why the upswing in the incarceration of non-violent criminals and petty criminals should be fought. Hard.

[malaise]

14. You know there is another worry about private prisons

The owners can cover for their criminals when they send them out to commit crimes.

[Octafish]

9. Thank you, malaise.

Would that you were publisher of The New York Times or owned what Rupert Murdoch does.

[malaise]

12. Amazing that M$Cable doesn't think this is big news

This should be the #2 story today.

[ThomCat]

31. The MSCable never makes a big deal out of anything negative that

will rally people Against the predominant Conservative power centers in society, be they
economic (big business),
social (respected celebrities),
religious (mainstream religions),
military (Official Information only),
or political (right wing/libertarian talking points)

They just won't help people rally against what they consider to be the foundations of a working society, and it shows their conservative bias across the spectrum.

Contrast that:
If a business fails that they want to shame for some reason, watch and it will be covered non-stop in a way that claims to be merely news but generates scorn and ridicule against the people involved. Most often that is done at the local level, not the national level.

Let any minor celebrity, liberal celebrity, or any celebrity with a bad reputation do something wrong, and they'll get 24/7 news coverage to, to distract people with the scandal. A very obvious double standard compared to what the right others are allowed to get away with without a single headline, investigation, or peep from a single talking head or editor.

Minor religious sects, the emerging and pagan sects, the non-judeo-christian sects, and members of any religion that has been given a bad reputation can't expect any protection in the media, because the media is usually the weapon used against them, creating their bad reputation and mobilizing people against them. Isn't it funny how that impartial news media is often the weapon used to generate ill will?

We have all seen examples of our media being very quick to condemn rank and file people from the military when they do anything that might make the military look bad, even if it was under orders. The media not only won't protect them the way it protects the higher levels of the military, it helps with the scapegoating.

And, I don't need to say anything HERE about how the so-called liberal media is really a conservative owned and operated machine for shutting out liberal voices and ideas.


So, the quick take-away from all of this is, The media won't report on it because it might rally the little people against people that matter. Rallying the little people that way is bad. They can't rally the little people unless they are being rallied in a way that keeps them distracted, scattered, and paying attention to inconsequential things. (like sporting events, harmless entertainment, or the approved scandal of the day)

[malaise]

36. You should repost this as an OP

Excellent post

[Starry Messenger]

10. For profit public services just lead to abuses.

If there is profit opportunity to exploit, it will be exploited. That should just be emblazoned on marble slabs all around public places in the country.

[malaise]

24. I agree

It's way to sad that the greedy never learn from history.

[Starry Messenger]

26. Well they've learned from history how to make this profitable

So I wouldn't say they "never learn". ;) It's rare that situations like this are punished. I mean, look at Enron, etc.

[malaise]

30. Valid point

Anything for money.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

15. IIRC Michael Moore covered this in one of his films?

In any event, this is great news.

[derby378]

19. Didn't he do it in CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY?

It's been a while since I saw it, but I think it's in there.

[pinboy3niner]

21. I think it was also the subject of a 'Law and Order' episode

Ripped from the headlines, indeed!

[malaise]

23. It was a huge story here on DU

and I did see that L & O episade

[Liberal_in_LA]

27. Good! One of the worst stories I've heard about the justice system.

[upi402]

28. Michael Moore - Thank You!

"Capitalism; A Love Story" ratted out this rat. Can't believe it took this long. I guess the corrupted legal system was FORCED to meet out justice by Mike's epic film.

[malaise]

32. This was a huge story on DU in 2009

http://www.democraticunderground.com/searchresults.html?q=Pennsylvania+judge+Ciavarella&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com&sa=Search&domains=democraticunderground.com&client=pub-7805397860504090&forid=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%23008000%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23336699%3BVLC%3A663399%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3A336699%3BALC%3A0000FF%3BLC%3A0000FF%3BT%3A000000%3BGFNT%3A0000FF%3BGIMP%3A0000FF%3BFORID%3A11&hl=en

[upi402]

38. I wonder if this conviction would have happened

without the good work by Michael Moore. And how can freepers ridicule him for this?

From EyeGuy at free republic;
"Even if the judiciary is corrupt, you always have hope. 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm."

This guy missed the memo that we don't shoot judges. And he surely missed Mike's movie but I bet he has an answer for everything anyway.

[tpsbmam]

29. "Ciavarella Faces a maximum 157 years in prison," likely 12.5 to 15.5

"under federal sentencing guidelines." I go for the 157 myself. But he's 60 yo. This is just enough to make what I hope are his remaining years absolute hell. That works for me.

Edit: close quote

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[Patiod]

34. Not a believer in the death penalty, but if I were, this would be it

These evil men should get life in prison - they did more damage and are more dangerous than someone who may have killed someone in a bar fight and is in prison for life.

Our corrupt system is so punitive toward anyone convicted for any reason, that these kids' lives have been destroyed. Supposedly, their records will be purged, but I don't believe it.

[malaise]

35. I don't waiver on my anti-death penalty conviction

but he'd never leave prison before his funeral.
I hope all of them are exposed because there is no way that this isn't going on elsewhere. Others must be shaking in their boots right now.

[WinkyDink]

37. Local PA paper says 3 years likely.