TOP JUVENILE OFFICIALS OUSTED

Md. Probe Shows Teens Abused At Boot Camps

Maryland's secretary of juvenile justice and four other top officials lost
their jobs yesterday after a state investigation concluded that teenage
offenders at the state's boot camps had been beaten and abused as part of
the camps' regular regimen.

In addition, State Police Superintendent David B. Mitchell said some guards
at the facilities in Western Maryland are under criminal investigation for
their treatment of the youthful offenders sent to the camps from all over
the state.

"There was a complete breakdown in the [juvenile justice] department's
chain of command," said Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D), who
oversees Maryland's criminal justice system. She said guards at the boot
camps engaged in "unconscionable abuse of authority."

Secretary Gilbert de Jesus resigned at the request of Gov. Parris N.
Glendening (D). Phil Colbert, a department assistant secretary; Don Carter,
the superintendent of the facilities; and Jeff Graham, the assistant
superintendent, also resigned. Department deputy secretary Jack Nadol
refused to resign and was fired, the governor said.

The departures come after a week-long investigation headed by former state
public safety commissioner Bishop Robinson concluded there had been
"unnecessary and inappropriate use of force" as part of induction at the
boot camps.

Even before that investigation concluded, Glendening removed the 79 youths
at the camps and temporarily shut down the facilities Saturday.

The investigation was prompted by stories in the Baltimore Sun detailing
guards hitting, punching and throwing shackled youths to the ground. The
newspaper published photos of youths with split lips and other injuries,
and the stories reported that the youths received inadequate follow-up
supervision once they completed their sentences at the camp.

Glendening and Townsend reacted angrily to the reports, demanding
explanations from de Jesus, who initially told them there was no systematic
violence.

The governor said yesterday that the investigation concluded otherwise.
"Our trust, and perhaps more important, the trust of the people of
Maryland, has been violated," Glendening said at a State House news
conference.

At the same time, he said, "ultimate responsibility is with me." He said
once he was aware of the allegations he moved quickly to correct abuses.

"I know we are dealing with individuals, residents who have a history of
violence. . . . Having said that, I must emphasize our basic values. No
individual in our care in any institution, any program, anywhere in the
state will be subject to physical harm or violence," Glendening said.

Townsend said she became aware of the allegations in August from a Sun
reporter working on the story. Initially, she said, only one instance of
abuse by guards at one of the camps was described to her. She said she
instructed juvenile justice officials to make sure there was no pattern of
problems. She insisted laws protecting the youths be followed.

"Department top management emphatically denied that any abuse was
occurring," she said. Once she learned otherwise, Townsend said, she and
Glendening agreed on the need for an investigation.

Despite the problems, Townsend said she remained committed to the idea of
military-style boot camps as a way of reforming youthful offenders and said
the camps should continue once reviews of operations are completed.
Robinson, who will serve as interim head of the juvenile justice
department, will head that review.

But at least one member of the review panel is arguing against the boot
camps. Jann K. Jackson, executive director of Advocates for Children and
Youth, said she believes the boot camps send abused youths the wrong
message about reform with the stern, military-like procedures.

She said more needs to be done to help the youths with education, drug
treatment, screening for mental illness and job training. She said she
hopes the controversy surrounding the boot camps will trigger broad reforms
of Maryland's juvenile justice system.