The boy, who is not identified, was locked up for over a month, but a judge found him not competent to stand trial. His juvenile criminal case was dismissed. Yet, before that decision, he endured mistreatment, ACLU says.
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BREAKING: @ACLUMaine is suing Long Creek for alleged mistreatment of 11-y-o boy. Claims LC failed to treat his mental illness; guards broke his front teeth during altercation; state-hired dentist refused to treat him.http://bit.ly/2FBOLLZ
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The boy --like many of LC inmates -- has severe mental illness.
@ACLUMaine alleges state doctors failed to continue giving him prescribed Ritalin. As a result, his behavior worsened. And instead of treatment, he was punished for outbursts.Show this thread -
The suit also highlights counter-intuitive LC policy. When LC inmates act out or are in crisis, mental health workers are NOT dispatched to help. Why? LC policy believes it would reinforce the bad behavior.
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Yet among LC staff, mental health workers--social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists -- are trained *specifically* to help people in crisis. Literally their job.
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The boy's teeth were knocked out during a period of punishment when he was isolated to his cell. His behavior worsened, and instead of de-escalating, ACLU claims, guards slammed his face into metal bed frame.
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This is latest development in difficult period for Long Creek. 2016: Transgender boy commits suicide there while on suicide watch. Mother of boy claims his mental health needs were not met. http://bit.ly/2FCBvGM
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following the death, LC's top leader, a long-time adult corrections professional, resigned.http://bit.ly/2FCEM9e
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Suicide of Charles Maisie Knowles wasn't only noteworthy incident. Earlier in March 2017, LC inmates escaped from camping trip, stole car, flipped it after police chase.http://bit.ly/2pb00Ay
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Independent review by national group found LC workers, while hard-working and committed, are not equipped to deal with frequency and acuity of serious mental health problems among population there.http://bit.ly/2paxtLv
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The new superintendent, who does *not* come from corrections background but a therapeutic background, pledged to improve system. H/T
@PPHEricRussellhttp://bit.ly/2pdxU7KShow this thread -
Maine corrections chief, Joseph Fitzpatrick, has and said he will continue to work to reduce juvenile incarceration population statewide. To that end, he closed the state's 2nd youth jail, and
#s of kids incarcerated keeps going down.Show this thread -
Outside groups and Fitzpatrick say the right path forward is community-based treatment, not large institutional model. But where will $$, resources come from? Q's that still don't have clear A's. http://bit.ly/2DimQLM
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End of conversation
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