Two Pennsylvania Judges Jail Minors for Kickbacks

Bartholomew Roberts · February 23, 2009, 01:16 PM

According to CNN, two Pennsylvania judges have just pled guilty to sentencing minors to a privately-run correctional facility in return for $2.6 million in kickbacks over several years (about $1.2 million of which apparently came from overcharges to county funds according to an audit). The judges appeared to have targeted minors whose parents had waived their right to counsel.

The stroy does highlight a troubling aspect of privatizing our justice system though - when you create a profit motive to keep people imprisoned, people are imprisoned who probably shouldn't be.

In this case, it appears that children whose parents trusted in the system were disproportionately punished for that trust. What could have been done legally to better prevent this type of conflict of interest and better guard the rights of the defendants?

ilbob · February 23, 2009, 02:35 PM

The current system has failed pretty miserably in virtually all respects. Trying something different seems appropriate.

At least with a privatized system, if there are systemic problems with a contractor, a contract can be canceled and someone else contracted.

Under the current publicly run system, where there are systemic problems, and those problems are not exactly rare, little can be done to fix them, for various reasons.

Somehow this seems more political than legal to me though, since the solution is mostly political.

<added>
I just realized something. I somehow gained write access to this forum. I thought it was restricted to moderators and/or other approved people. Did that change?

Al Norris · February 23, 2009, 05:31 PM

ilbob, the forum went public back on Jan 1. Notices were plastered all over the board for 2 weeks....

ilbob · February 23, 2009, 06:32 PM

I am not exactly a prolific poster here. I probably missed the announcements.

February 23, 2009, 01:16 PM	#1
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	Two Pennsylvania Judges Jail Minors for Kickbacks According to CNN, two Pennsylvania judges have just pled guilty to sentencing minors to a privately-run correctional facility in return for $2.6 million in kickbacks over several years (about $1.2 million of which apparently came from overcharges to county funds according to an audit). The judges appeared to have targeted minors whose parents had waived their right to counsel. The stroy does highlight a troubling aspect of privatizing our justice system though - when you create a profit motive to keep people imprisoned, people are imprisoned who probably shouldn't be. In this case, it appears that children whose parents trusted in the system were disproportionately punished for that trust. What could have been done legally to better prevent this type of conflict of interest and better guard the rights of the defendants?

February 23, 2009, 02:35 PM	#2
ilbob Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2006 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 515	The current system has failed pretty miserably in virtually all respects. Trying something different seems appropriate. At least with a privatized system, if there are systemic problems with a contractor, a contract can be canceled and someone else contracted. Under the current publicly run system, where there are systemic problems, and those problems are not exactly rare, little can be done to fix them, for various reasons. Somehow this seems more political than legal to me though, since the solution is mostly political. <added> I just realized something. I somehow gained write access to this forum. I thought it was restricted to moderators and/or other approved people. Did that change? __________________ bob Disclaimers: I am not a lawyer, cop, soldier, gunsmith, politician, plumber, electrician, or a professional practitioner of many of the other things I comment on in this forum.

February 23, 2009, 06:32 PM	#4
ilbob Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2006 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 515	I am not exactly a prolific poster here. I probably missed the announcements. __________________ bob Disclaimers: I am not a lawyer, cop, soldier, gunsmith, politician, plumber, electrician, or a professional practitioner of many of the other things I comment on in this forum.

February 23, 2009, 05:31 PM	#3
Al Norris Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 9,660	ilbob, the forum went public back on Jan 1. Notices were plastered all over the board for 2 weeks....