Question

[HeadlightsMom]

P4 -- Yes. Sounds S-H-A-D-Y, galore. My warning buzzers would be sounding off just like yours are. Jail/prison really are different realities than the "outside world". That's a harsh notion, but painfully evident in some settings. Oh, my heart aches for you!

I agree with Albatross.........it's waaaay over my head, too. I don't know the legalities or jail process well enough (despite having some interaction when our difficult child was in jail a handful of times for short stays). Here are questions I'd wonder about...

1) How long is he sentenced to be in jail?

2) Has he had injuries he sustained in jail (you mentioned he'd been beaten) documented? Has he had to be treated for injuries? Repeated and documented by a professional? Just thinking of all which might help your case. Credible, objective documentation always helps. ## Are his current injuries visible?

3) Does your difficult child have his own cell? Or does he share with 1? Or is it communal?

4) Is there any legal professional you could consult?

Jail inconsistencies ---- Here we have 2 jails (right down the street from each other).... The Old Jail and the New Jail (really, that's what they're officially called). They're only 100 yards from each other, but their realities are very different -- due to their floor plan. Old Jail has separate cells. New Jail has communal cells. As you can guess, New Jail has FAR more violent incidents. But it was built and is maintained this way because costs were cheaper and they could house more inmates (our local jails, like many, are overflowing). Our difficult child has been in both and said he feels MUCH safer in Old Jail than New Jail.

Wow. What a difficult spot you're in now. My heart and prayers are with you, P4......... Take care and please keep us posted.

 

[donna723]

Juvenile facilities are handled differently in different states. In some states the juvenile institutions are part of the Dept. of Correction, the same as the adult institutions. In other states they are administered by the Dept. of Childrens Services or whatever it's called in your state. You can check online at your state's website to see which one applies. Here in Tennessee our juvenile facilities are now under the Dept. of Children's Services and they are now seeing what a mistake it was. Some of those kids are very hard core and are housed in places that are basically staffed by social worker types instead of experienced CO's. A lot more violence and a lot less accountability and oversight.

 

[HeadlightsMom]

Donna723 -- Good info. I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[pasajes4]

The juvenile facilities are under the juvenile justice system. He is there until the day before his 19th birthday on probation violations. He is in a unit with kids who will go to the state pen to serve life sentences for murder. It is considered a mixed facility due to closures of other units. These kids have nothing to lose. Yes, he has visible injuries from the beating. Yes, they are documented. I called the independent overseers office. He is 18 and must report it himself. I doubt that he will. My other option is to hire an attorney. I have contacted a well known juvenile attorney and will meet with him tomorrow. They cannot refuse him contact with an attorney.

 

[Albatross]

Hope all goes well today, Pasajes.