Judge Convicted in Pennsylvania Kids-for-Cash Scheme

[Love As Arson]

A federal jury has found a former Pennsylvania judge guilty of participating in a so-called "kids for cash" scheme, in which he received money in exchange for sending juvenile offenders to for-profit youth jails over the years. Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella, Jr., was convicted Friday of accepting bribes and kickbacks for putting juveniles into detention centers operated by PA Child Care and a sister company, Western Pennsylvania Child Care. Ciavarella and another judge, Michael Conahan, are said to have received $2.6 million for their efforts. Ciavarella faces a maximum sentence of 157 years in prison, in addition to a class action lawsuit on behalf of the youths’ families. For more on this story, we are joined by Marsha Levick of the Juvenile Law Center and to Sandy Fonzo, who believes her son’s suicide was related to his treatment by Ciavarella.

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/22/judge_convicted_in_pennsylvania_kid s_for

There is some justice in the world, although I don't think he should have been allowed to walk free until he is sentenced.

[jawstheme]

I worked at a for profit youth center for a while. It was pretty fucked up how much the Courts would lie to the kids. They'd tell them 3 months and then on evaluations, even though the kid behaved fine, they'd send them back for 2 years. There is a lot of shady stuff going on in these juvenile detention and treatment centers.
It was really sad to see some of the bullshit the kids and their families had to go through because of the Courts.

[spiffa0]

PA has all sorts of problems these days

[jwicklun]

It's heartbreaking how corrupt people can be.

[JoeLovesMO]

The main discussion point here is why the maximum sentance is 157 years. I mean, wouldn't 90 years max do the job? So even is a baby fucked some shit up, they'd still die in prison.

[Playsw/Squirels]

The main discussion point here is why the maximum sentance is 157 years. I mean, wouldn't 90 years max do the job? So even is a baby fucked some shit up, they'd still die in prison.

Well I think they're assuming that by that time, technology will somehow let us live into our 200's at least, so good planning ahead.

[caveBEAR]

Well I think they're assuming that by that time, technology will somehow let us live into our 200's at least, so good planning ahead.

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy340/beer4bear/facepalm-1.png

[salt1384]

How on earth do they get 157 years?

[Scrandon]

How on earth do they get 157 years?
Intricate models of population aging and medical developments have allowed them to estimate the lifespan of people centuries into the future.

(apparently)

[salt1384]

Intricate models of population aging and medical developments have allowed them to estimate the lifespan of people centuries into the future.

(apparently)

Uhuh, uhuh.

[thebestkylever]

How on earth do they get 157 years?

a lot of the time people get so many years per person they killed, fucked over, both, whatever. this obviously sometimes adds up to more years than a person can live. furthermore, it's not uncommon for serial killers to get multiple life sentences-- one for each person they killed, even when clearly we don't have multiple lives.

[TheRealJohnOC]

Did anyone watch the video? Apparently they had a mother on talking to the host, saying she called the cops on her son while he was at a party. The whole purpose was to put a scare in him and then he gets taken away and put in one of these centers. That's a little insane!

[Roboman]

The main discussion point here is why the maximum sentance is 157 years. I mean, wouldn't 90 years max do the job? So even is a baby fucked some shit up, they'd still die in prison.

Who gives a shit? As long as he rots away in prison, the maximum sentence could be 3000 years for all I care.

Regardless, so you idiots stop derailing the thread further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandatory_sentencing. Of course, that also leads to ridiculous situations like this guy's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Berger

[salt1384]

a lot of the time people get so many years per person they killed, fucked over, both, whatever. this obviously sometimes adds up to more years than a person can live. furthermore, it's not uncommon for serial killers to get multiple life sentences-- one for each person they killed, even when clearly we don't have multiple lives.

No, I'm saying, why 157? Why not like 158?
Thanks for the explanation though :)

[JoeLovesMO]

Who gives a shit? As long as he rots away in prison, the maximum sentence could be 3000 years for all I care.

Regardless, so you idiots stop derailing the thread further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandatory_sentencing. Of course, that also leads to ridiculous situations like this guy's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Berger

u mad?

(nahbutseriously... that guy got fucked over, especially how he would have got a shorter sentance if he had raped or killed a kid instead)

[thebestkylever]

No, I'm saying, why 157? Why not like 158?
Thanks for the explanation though :)

maybe he sent 157 undeserving kids to McPrison?

[heyguys123]

The main discussion point here is why the maximum sentance is 157 years. I mean, wouldn't 90 years max do the job? So even is a baby fucked some shit up, they'd still die in prison.

because neither of those numbers is the actual amount of years you'd spend in prison. the point at which you'd be eligible for parole is way different...if a 20 year old kid gets a 90 year sentence, he has a chance at getting out before he's dead, depending on the circumstances.

[Portugal4142]

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/22/judge_convicted_in_pennsylvania_kid s_for

There is some justice in the world, although I don't think he should have been allowed to walk free until he is sentenced.

Not in this area there's not. He's not getting more than 10 years.

[Love As Arson]

Not in this area there's not. He's not getting more than 10 years.
The minimum is between thirteen and fifteen years.

[KidRobot]

Wasn't this in the Michael Moore Capitalism movie?

[deFobbed14yrs]

I don't think that kid killed himself b/c of that judge. I think he killed himself b/c his mom called the cops on his to "scare" him.

[saysmydoctor]

"For-profit youth jails"

Anything in the name of profit.

[speakhandsforme]

Wow, I believe there was a Law and Order episode a few years ago that pretty much chronicled this exact scenario. But, hell, when you maintain a profit-driven society, you can't expect any one institution to be exempt.

[Broken Parachute]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/19/exp.nr.kids.for.cash.judge.cnn?hpt= T2

The mother's reaction to him is heart wrenching. It's so sad.