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Abused kids may mingle with delinquents at a privately run facility

Comments (0) By Melanie Asmar Thursday, May 17 2012
...continued from page 1

Much of the facility does feel like a school, albeit one where the kids all have the same haircuts, wear the same clothes and never ditch class — because they can't. Ridge View offers academic classes, in addition to vocational training in trades such as welding and masonry. Athletics are a key part of the program, as well: Boys must run three miles a day and are encouraged to play on one of Ridge View's fourteen sports teams, which compete against area high schools. Everyone eats together in a dining hall that looks like an ordinary school cafeteria. They sleep on bunk beds under identical gray blankets in doorless rooms. Plants are allowed; posters are not.

Ridge View has room for 500 boys. Its construction was authorized at a time when the pendulum of juvenile justice was swinging more toward punishment. In 1993, the legislature passed a battery of laws aimed at curbing youth crime in the wake of Denver's so-called summer of violence. The laws came with money to improve Colorado's youth prisons, but by 1997, projections showed there still weren't enough beds. So lawmakers voted to create a 500-bed facility — the biggest in the state — on the site of the former Lowry bombing range, in eastern Arapahoe County. It specified that the facility "shall follow an academic correctional model, providing educational, vocational and positive developmental programming" and pledged $51 million to make it a reality.

Kent Moe says Ridge View will screen out abused kids.
Anthony Camera
Kent Moe says Ridge View will screen out abused kids.

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But the state didn't want to operate the facility; instead, the Department of Human Services chose Rite of Passage, a Nevada-based provider of programs for at-risk youth that started in the '80s with wilderness boot camps, to design, build and run it. The state Division of Youth Corrections would pay Rite of Passage a daily rate to send boys to Ridge View. That rate is lower than what it costs to send boys to the state's locked facilities, including the 161-bed Lookout Mountain Youth Services Center in Golden.

The law specified that Ridge View could only accept boys who'd been labeled as delinquents by a judge and then sentenced — or "committed," as the state refers to it — to the Division of Youth Corrections; the average sentence is zero to two years.

Boys who are committed are often repeat offenders. First-time juvenile delinquents, on the other hand, are usually given probation and sent home or, if the judge determines that it is unsafe or impossible for them to go home, placed in the custody of the county department of human services, which can house them at a residential juvenile facility like the one where Jack lives.

For years, Ridge View's population held steady at more than 400 boys. "That's when it ran the best," says Jerry Adamek, a former head of the state Division of Youth Corrections who now works as a senior consultant for Rite of Passage. The more boys were at Ridge View, the more money Rite of Passage made, and the more sports, trade classes, activities and programs it could offer. But due to decreasing youth crime rates and a movement to connect troubled youth to services before they ever commit a crime, the entire DYC population is shrinking, says John Gomez, the division's current director. Today, Ridge View reports that it has just 215 boys.

Spence says that when she heard that Ridge View was half-full, "I thought, 'What a waste.' It's a good thing there aren't as many kids in the system as there used to be, but to underuse a facility that serves so many kids so well is a shame."

A longtime friend of Jefferson County Department of Human Services director Lynn Johnson, Spence knew that two counties in particular — Jefferson and Arapahoe — were "anxious" to be able to place kids at Ridge View. So in January, she introduced a bill to do just that. Senate Bill 99 sought to amend the law that created Ridge View to allow the facility to also house "juveniles who are in the temporary custody of a county department of social services or who are in need of out-of-home placement." Spence thought the bill was short and sweet, a simple, helpful change.

She found a House sponsor in Representative Nancy Todd, an Aurora Democrat who jokes that the only thing she and Spence have in common is their first names. A former schoolteacher who also favors education issues, Todd serves on Ridge View's community advisory board, a volunteer body that raises funds for scholarships and oversees a mentoring program. She joined after attending a robotics tournament in which Ridge View was competing. (The team, she says, was "dynamite.") She, too, thinks expanding access to Ridge View is a good idea. "This is bringing in a different population that has not gone deep into breaking the law but are lost kids," Todd says.

Kent Moe, the program-development manager at Ridge View, got involved as well, serving as the public face of Ridge View at the State Capitol. He says he didn't expect any opposition the bill. "Knowing what I know about the campus and about how we'd carry it out, I know that it's good for kids and it's good for families," he says.

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Homobama
Homobama

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Anne Annette Davis
Anne Annette Davis like.author.displayName 1 Like

As a parent, as a educator and nurse and member of this community. This is a mistake, do not co-mingle these juveniles, it is not right.

Johnathansnorsky
Johnathansnorsky like.author.displayName 1 Like

I was one of those kids. we as a community need to stand up and tell everyone that weve had enough because its these kids who fill prison beds in the future

Rose VanGorder
Rose VanGorder like.author.displayName 1 Like

Foster kids run away for a reason.

Johnathansnorsky
Johnathansnorsky

like i did

I'm an artist named Johnathan who was born on December 24, 1986 to an illegal alien father from the Soviet Union who was sent to prison for murder, and a mentally unstable mother who abused me daily and eventually abandoned me in Colorado at the age of 12. When I wasn’t in orphanages, group homes, and foster care, I was a homeless child on the streets who, subsequently, at the young age of 17, made the regrettable mistake of burglarizing a gun shop. Having never attended art school, I always drew to escape the horrors of my so called life, but honed and mastered the skill of drawing during the seven and a half years I was incarcerated. Therefore I can effortlessly, and expressively, create art in an array of mediums encompassing color pencil, chalk and charcoal, pen and ink, engraving, and oil painting. I was released at the age of 24 and, as a free man; I'm pushing for a change in my community by working with the public school system to guide broken children down the right path and publically speaking about my inspirational, but heartbreaking, life story and art. My art has been displayed at the Consortium 816 art gallery in Denver’s downtown Santa Fe Art District and can be found in private collections across America. My next art show is between june 1 and july31 at eden lounge on 31st and downing in the rino arts district north of downtown denver

What i do today

The Tyro Program mentors at risk youth and exposes them to art, music, and culture in the attempt to inspire hope and dreams in these impoverished children. I grew up in extreme poverty and abuse. My life was a nightmare. At times I felt as if life wasn't worth living and I came close to giving up several times, because no one cared to foster love in my heart. As a man, I'm still that little lonely boy inside, hurting, yearning for love and acceptance. So I know kids won't just grow up and be OK. And sure, there are people who've had rough lives that didn't need help, but not everyone is that strong, I wasn't. Out of the vast majority of the cases of child poverty, abuse, and abandonment, those broken children grow up to become the broken adults who will rob, rape, and murder innocent people. I'm a living example of this. Those people, that were like me, fill our prisons today, and maybe that kid who ditches school will fill a bed in the future. Therefore, we, as a community, must act. With just a little inspiration a kids life could drastically be altered for the better. Instead of looking up to drug dealers and thugs, I want to help these kids see that life has so many opportunities and that they can succeed if you work hard. They aren't told that enough and just give up on their dreams at the first obstacle they approach. The program works like this: I work with the homeless liaisons that councils the most unfortunate kids in our public school system. They contact me and I arrange for the children to become a "Tyro", which is the medieval Latin word for squire or apprentice, to myself or other artists. These Tyro's will get a crash course of art history, learn to draw, paint, sculpt, visit art galleries, art shows, operas, ballets, musicals and museums with real artists. Then, when the artists, or myself, have a art show, the Tyro's will be involved in setting up the show, getting firsthand experience of the "behind the scenes" of a real art show... Then they'll attend the show and get to be involved in something far larger than they could ever imagine... And that will make them dream... That's my goal. I've pledged 10% of all my art sales to this program. I hope everyone realizes how serious the need is to have mentors in our community and at the least pledge to encourage that local bad kid, and even take the chance to invite them to a barbecue, get to "Know" them, and you'll understand and fall in love with them. *20% of the funds collected support the management and staff liaisons who plan events and escort the children. *80% of funds collected go to the actual events the children attend: art shows, art galleries, art tutorials, art museums, etc. and also for art supplies. Hopefully you'll want to fight this battle with me.

Never stop dreaming and Always love, Johnathan

Jwarriner
Jwarriner

Let's look at the psychology of this. We take a kid who is so emotionally damaged that he blames himself for the abuse he suffered and then we say, "by the way, we're sending you to jail." Do we really think that doesn't reinforce the very things that lead to so many of their problems. This is barbaric. We used to do crap like this 100 years ago. There should be no reason to send abused children to jail. This is simply a matter of the private prison system wanting another avenue to fill beds and be paid for it with tax dollars. I'm ashamed that Colorado voted these morons into office. I'm even more ashamed that we voted for the idiots who feel they were duped because they didn't even take the time to read what they were voting for. Thank goodness we have term limitations. Though public executions would be more gratifying.

Maryellen
Maryellen

This bill was a case of good intentions gone awry. But legislators with those good intentions can "tweak" the language and make sure the wrong kids don't get mis-placed.I've visited Ridge View many times and have been very impressed with the facilities. I also had a family friend's son placed there. Ridge View saved his life. He was headed straight for prison. At Ridge View he got an education, became a long distance runner and his entire attitude changed. Five years later he is a successful, functioning adult.Ridge View is an excellent facility. Let's make sure it has the proper clientele. Beyond that, I trust that Westword will be fair and show all sides to this issue.

The Jenn of all Jenns
The Jenn of all Jenns

One of the scariest phrases in the English language: "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

Marmie
Marmie

Let me tell you about the jerks of judges that cause abused children to end up as delinquents and drug addicts: After a court hearing in 1983 regarding the abuse of my 2 boys by their bio-dad, the judge had this to say: Only one case of abuse has been proven, which does not warrant the father being denied his privledge of part custody. My younger, 32-year-old son, died of heroin overdose on April 25. He was my best baby, so sweet, until age 4. After each visit to his father he told me horrendous after horrendous story since age 2!! The continuing emotional and physical abuse became his comfort zone. He continued trying to quell the pain, but it only brought on more of the pain that was actually his comfort zone! Sad, how loving he was but so confused, still trying to make his dad okay...in his mind. Now in heaven as spirit he finally has resolved the truth and is happy, which could never be on this earth! We must all forgive his father, the mother of all abusers!!

Marmie
Marmie

Why would our legislators put abused children in a detention facility with abusive children????? Go figure. That's our legal system leaders!!!!

calhounp
calhounp

marmie: i'd like to publish this comment in the print edition that goes to press tonight -- ideally with your full name. let me know if that's okay at patricia.calhoun@westword.com

CCJRC
CCJRC

There is a something very Dickensian about the whole thing...

calhounp
calhounp

I would like to publish some of these comments in our print edition, ideally with your full name/town. If that's okay, e-mail me at patricia.calhoun@westword.com

Aaron Futrell
Aaron Futrell

As a former youth corrections officer at a branch of Rite of Passage I could not agree more with this article Ms. Asmar has hit the nail right on the coffin. The Youth Corrections System is messed up and needs to be fixed I understand that Ms. Spence thought that she was providing a Band -Aid to kids who just want to be accepted but all she really did was make the wound larger. A kids life is worth more than the few dollars that Rite of Passage is collecting to fill a bed that should be saved for a real criminal. The city of Denver just passed the urban camping ban what's next making being a foster kid illegal to justify placing them in the D.O.C system?

guest
guest

As a past foster parent that dealt with troubled youth. I have seen prosecutors and Judges knowingly allow fake charges be brought so that a child could be moved from dependency and neglect to delinquency. Of course at the time it was to get better support for the juvenile since 10 years ago all the money was being given to delinquency. However, after that everything they do like running away or skipping school is now a charge against them. Eventually they get some jerk of a judge that either doesn't know or doesn't care that the only real charge was fake and sentences them to jail till they turn 18. I saw this very thing happen in Weld County. What ever is done to these kids at home is nothing compared to what is done to them by the system. So this legislator's belief that the county is going to do what is right for these kids is nieve and severely misplaced.

Guest
Guest

It's pretty fucked up when an 18 year old kid has more perspective then an elected representative. But the most asinine aspect is that Nancy Spence can't figure out how to amend her proposal correctly? What a dumb fucking broad. So, now she doesn't care because she faith in the government? What a fucking dipshit.....this bitch is the goverment and she doesn't have the competence to ammend her bill correctly but I'm supposed to trust that the government has some sort of competence when it comes to placing children? I'm so fucking glad that as a resident of Centennial I get to pay this dumb bitch's salary.

 
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