The Legislative Gazette February 9, 2010 Page 15
A Union Perspective
Juvenile justice at a crossroads
By Danny Donohue necessary training to carry out the new
therapeutic approach. .
New York’s Office of Children and Family
Services and it juvenile detention facilities • Work with CSEA to create a restraint
have long been plagued by troubles. CSEA policy that protects youth and staff from
has consistently and loudly raised its con- abuse.
cerns in a variety
of settings over • Finally, recognize the hard work, dedi-
the late 1980s and early 1990s. But OCFS
the last decade. cation and commitment to improving a
should also know that CSEA will oppose
CSEA welcomed youth’s life that staff demonstrates time
any plan compromises public safety and
a change in and time again!
puts youth and staff at greater risk.
administration CSEA is willing to work cooperatively to
in 2007 and has create a juvenile justice system that will
Danny Donohue is president of the nearly
tried to work with serve everyone better. OCFS should not
300,000 member CSEA – New York’s
the new leader- ignore our history in helping to change
leading union.
ship to address the developmental disabilities system in
these long stand-
ing deficiencies, but we have been sore-
7 K H V H $ U H & K D O O H Q J L Q J
ly disappointed with the results. More
7 L P H V ) R U 1 H Z < R U N
recently, the Department of Justice issued
a scathing report which has only added
$ Q G 2 X U 1 D W L R Q
to the pressure for drastic changes to the
system.
& 6 ( $ L V S D U W R I W K H V R O X W L R Q
Q R W W K H S U R E O H P
While everyone can agree that change
2 Q W K H M R E & 6 ( $ P H P E H U V D F U R V V W K H V W D W H Z R U N K D U G
is needed, moving forward too rapidly
L Q J R R G W L P H V D Q G E D G W R G H O L Y H U H V V H Q W L D O V H U Y L F H V W K D W
1 H Z < R U N H U V G H S H Q G R Q 2 I I W K H M R E & 6 ( $ P H P E H U V
is reckless and irresponsible. It puts the
K H O S L P S U R Y H R X U F R P P X Q L W L H V V X S S R U W L Q J Q X P H U R X V
youth, staff, and communities at risk.
R U J D Q L ] D W L R Q V D Q G F D X V H V Z L W K W L P H W D O H Q W D Q G P R Q H \
$ Q G & 6 ( $ P H P E H U V S D \ R X U I D L U V K D U H R I W D [ H V W R R
It appears that OCFS is trying to use the
Department of Justice report and the state
budget crises to justify their plan to close
) L V F D O U H V S R Q V L E L O L W \ K D V
youth detention facilities and quickly move
D O Z D \ V E H H Q D & 6 ( $ S U L R U L W \
, Q I D F W L Q H Y H U \ F R Q W U D F W & 6 ( $ Q H J R W L D W H V D F U R V V W K H
to a community-based model, whether V W D W H Z H ¿ Q G E H W W H U Z D \ V W R J H W W K H M R E G R Q H D Y R L G
community programs are ready to meet
F R V W O \ L Q M X U L H V V D Y H W D [ S D \ H U V P R Q H \ D Q G D G G Y D O X H W R
W K H Z R U N S O D F H
youth’s needs or not. Current community-
based programs are entirely inadequate at
the present time for handling this popula-
7 K H Q H D U O \ P H P E H U V
tion and there is no evidence that OCFS
R I & 6 ( $ Z L O O F R Q W L Q X H W R G R
has a plan for ensuring that the appropri-
R X U I D L U V K D U H
ate resources can and will be provided.
There are also a wide range internal defi-
& 6 ( $ L V X U J L Q J * R Y ' D Y L G 3 D W H U V R Q
ciencies that OCFS has not addressed yet.
V W D W H O H J L V O D W R U V D Q G D O O O R F D O
For instance, their workplace injury and ill-
R I À F L D O V D F U R V V 1 H Z < R U N W R À Q G D
ness incident rate increased dramatically,
I D L U E D O D Q F H W K D W S U R W H F W V V H U Y L F H V
from 14.7 % to 19.6%. Their injury costs
D Q G N H H S V S H R S O H Z R U N L Q J
increased more than any other agency in
the state executive branch, up 61% over
the previous year from $1, 574843 to
$2,535,134.
There are other issues among many:
• Ensure that there is adequate staff and 0 D U N L Q J D & H Q W X U \ R I 6 H U Y L F H W R D O O 1 H Z < R U N H U V
[ L Q G G $ 0
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