CSEA Hits Lack of Security in Youth Facilities

ALBANY, NY (06/06/2012)(readMedia)-- In the wake of a brutal gang assault by residents on a worker at the Brookwood Secure Center in Columbia County, CSEA is amping up its call for better safety measures to protect staff at youth detention centers run by the state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS).

"This is further evidence that the state's current policy for dealing with juvenile offenders not only isn't working, it's putting staff at risk" said CSEA President Danny Donohue. "The state is sending people into a war zone every day, unprotected, and the casualties are mounting."

The attack last Friday left a direct care Youth Division Aide (YDA) with a broken arm, a possible broken eye socket and stitches to his face after being jumped from behind by four residents who beat him with a garbage can, a telephone and plastic chairs.The residents were arraigned on charges of second-degree assault and sent to the Columbia County Jail. They threatened further violence against staff would be forthcoming.

Violent attacks on staff by youths in their care have increased at an alarming rate under current OCFS policies

.Earlier this year, the union filed a complaint with the state Department of Labor 's Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) Bureau after discovering that 19 staff at the Taberg Residential Center in Oneida County, including the facility director, were out of work due to severe injuries suffered in attacks by residents there. Their injuries included two broken collarbones, a concussion, a broken ankle and a dislocated shoulder.The resulting investigation led to improvements at that facility, including the temporary assignment of additional management staff and increased worker training. However Taberg and Brookwood are symptomatic of a lager problem.

According to a report issued by the state Department of Civil Service on state employee Workers' Compensation claims, YDAs have the second highest on-the-job injury rate of all state job titles.

The state is moving to shift juvenile offenders from upstate facilities into nonexistent New York City-based programs. Existing providers are ill-equipped to deal with this population. State officials have yet to provide details as to how they intend to provide appropriate security, supervision, resources and support.