The Legal Aid Society is demanding that the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) correct what the group called a “violation of fundamental rights” of children in custody at juvenile detention centers in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
The nonprofit, which provides free legal services to those who cannot afford a lawyer, sent a letter to ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser demanding immediate improvements in conditions. According to the group, nearly 100 children detained at Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brooklyn and Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx are forced to sleep in hallways and classrooms, sometimes directly on the floor.
“Children in ACS care and custody are being deprived of sleep, safety and dignity,” Dawne Mitchell, senior attorney in The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice, said Tuesday. “They sleep on the floor, surrounded by noise and chaos, without access to basic hygiene or privacy. No child should endure these conditions, especially while in the custody of a city agency whose mandate is to protect and care for them. What is happening in these facilities is not only negligent, it is a violation of their fundamental rights and a failure of the system that should protect New York’s most vulnerable youth.”
In addition to charging that some youth do not have access to beds, Legal Aid stated that these facilities have seen an increase in violence and a lack of educational resources. Some detained minors have even been hospitalized due to the brutality, while staff failed to notify parents of the injuries.
Lawyers also point out that, despite the law, children often do not attend classes or receive adequate materials.
According to the letter, a copy of which our sister publication amNewYork obtained, in one case, a young man was left with 70 stitches after an assault, while two others were injured in a fight over a mattress.
ACS sources rejected these statements, ensuring that no children sleep on the floor and that they all have a bed, even if they share the space. They also denied that there is an increase in violence among youth, stating that incidents have decreased.
An ACS spokesperson said they will review the Legal Aid Society’s letter, but are already taking steps to improve conditions.
“ACS is committed to providing a safe environment in our detention centers, where youth can learn and develop skills to successfully face their future. With the help of our staff, community partners, these youth and their families, we have reduced violence over the past three years and increased graduations from our programs, despite the increase in the number of youth in our care,” the spokesperson said. “We will review Legal Aid’s recommendations, but to address these growing needs and the increase in older youth in detention, we are building a new annex at Horizon Juvenile Center that will add residential and educational space, and exploring plans to increase capacity. We are also actively implementing the Mayor’s Youth Safety and Success Initiative to reach youth in their communities, prevent violence and entry into detention.”
Meanwhile, lawyers stated that ACS has known about these problems for more than two years, but has not implemented any solutions. The Legal Aid Society called the situation “a lingering wound in the New York City detention system.”
