Judge sentenced to 28 years for selling kids into prison

Submitted by Matt on Sun, 2013-12-08 15:34

Story here. The original sentencing was in 2011. It was appealed and upheld earler this year. So while this item is a bit dated, it's too significant not to run. It aptly points out that the rights if males are off-handedly sold away for profit, even if they aren't even adults yet. If male children can't see their rights protected in the legal system, who thinks male adults can expect any better?

'( Black News ) Mark Ciavarella Jr, a 61-year old former judge in Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for literally selling young juveniles for cash. He was convicted of accepting money in exchange for incarcerating thousands of adults and children into a prison facility owned by a developer who was paying him under the table. The kickbacks amounted to more than $1 million.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned some 4,000 convictions issued by him between 2003 and 2008, claiming he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles – including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea. Some of the juveniles he sentenced were as young as 10-years old.

Ciavarella was convicted of 12 counts, including racketeering, money laundering, mail fraud and tax evasion. He was also ordered to repay $1.2 million in restitution.

His “kids for cash” program has revealed that corruption is indeed within the prison system, mostly driven by the growth in private prisons seeking profits by any means necessary.'

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Comments

It may be a gender issue since it affects more males compared to females, but it is a problem within our whole legal system and either gender can fall victim. I have been a foster child, legally adopted, and my brother and I had legal run-ins as teens. I know first hand, the abuse and traps of the legal system. When it is "other people's money", the courts have no common sense or discretion as to what they might order and subject you to, and they often break their own laws and rules of the court system.

I am so glad this judge got caught and a lengthy sentence. Unfortunately I think there are more judges like him out there.

One aspect of this issue that is often discussed and is of great interest to me is the privatization of the facility involved in this case. Many are criticizing the fact that the fascility is privately owned and therfore "for profit". However, I am of the mind set that privatization is always more efficient than "government run" and I see "government run" facilities capable of the same scam. A private owner gets "profit" but a government employee gets "wages or salary". If the incoming money is achieved by cheating the system, then what's the difference?

Unless I have not thought it through carefully enough, I think I am for privatization of jails.

However, back to the main topic.....I think MRA's should be especially watchful of how boys are sentenced and managed in the penile system. I am also worried about all these "wilderness camps" often parents are duped into paying for these, for "troubled" boys. Also want to point out that adopted boys make up a greater number of "troubled boys" who end up in these wilderness camps and in our jails as well.

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Submitted by Kris on Mon, 2013-12-09 19:16