Abused kids may mingle with delinquents at a privately run facility

Comments (0) By Melanie Asmar Thursday, May 17 2012
...continued from page 2

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But not everyone agreed. Once child advocates caught wind of the bill, several lined up to oppose it. John Riley worked for the Division of Youth Corrections for thirty years, running Colorado's first boot camp for delinquents. Now retired, he works for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. He doesn't think abused and neglected kids belong in a program like Ridge View. "It doesn't matter how highly structured it is," he told lawmakers. "It doesn't matter how many 'Yes, sir's or 'No, ma'am's or how they look or what uniforms you put them in. In the end, are they going to succeed? The truth is, if you haven't dealt with their initial problems, there's no guarantee of success."

Senator Nancy Spence sponsored a bill to expand access to Ridge View.
Anthony Camera
Senator Nancy Spence sponsored a bill to expand access to Ridge View.
Linda Weinerman doesn't want abused kids at Ridge View.
Anthony Camera
Linda Weinerman doesn't want abused kids at Ridge View.

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Bonnie Saltzman, an attorney who specializes in child and family issues, didn't pull any punches. "Ridge View is a beautiful facility," she said at a hearing, "but it is not a boarding school." Abused kids are "going to see it as punishment because it's a correctional facility," Saltzman tells Westword.

Advocates also take issue with the way Ridge View measures its success. As at other juvenile prisons, that determination is made by whether its youth go on to commit more crimes — a measure advocates argue is irrelevant to abused and neglected kids. State reports show that Ridge View is on par with the state's other options. The latest report, published in January, shows that in 2009-2010, 36 percent of Ridge View youth committed another crime after finishing their sentence, compared to 33 percent of youth placed at other state and contract facilities.

Ridge View rationalizes its recidivism rate by explaining that half of its youth are committed for property crimes like theft, and property offenders are at a higher risk to commit another crime than other kinds of offenders.

Linda Weinerman, the executive director of the Colorado Office of the Child's Representative, which provides advocates — guardians ad litem — to children involved in the court system, also opposed the bill. "When you consider placing the most vulnerable of your citizens in this hard-core type of facility, one of two things is going to happen: That kid is going to be victimized or that kid is going to become a hard-core kid," she says. At a hearing, she called Ridge View "not the type of place you want to send a fourteen-year-old boy who has done nothing except having the misfortune to be born into a family that is unable to take care of his needs."

Bill supporters insisted those fears were unfounded. No county, they said, would send fragile abused kids to Ridge View. Plus, they added, most residential child-care facilities, or RCCFs, like the one Jack lives in, already mix kids who have committed crimes with those who haven't. Julie Krow, the director of the state Office of Children, Youth and Families under the Department of Human Services, testified that 30 of Colorado's 33 RCCFs have both adjudicated and non-adjudicated kids. The makeup is about half and half, she said. "We've seen it work well," she told lawmakers.

County representatives also testified to their plans. "We're not talking about placing children who are solely in the child protection system as the result of being abused and neglected," said Angela Lytle, manager of children, adult and family services for Arapahoe County. Rather, the county would look to place at Ridge View youth whose behavior is threatening — either to themselves or to the community.

Ridge View's Moe pointed out that both Jefferson and Arapahoe counties and Rite of Passage use risk assessments to weed out low-risk youth who are likely to get worse if they enter a facility like Ridge View. "Senate Bill 99 doesn't propose to mix youth," he testified. "It proposes to mix placing agencies, but the same youth. We're a great program for kids who are out of control with their parents, who are out of control with their families, who are at risk to commit future crimes and who have strengths we can build upon but they need a little discipline."

Some Ridge View boys also testified. They wore khakis, neckties and maroon letterman jackets, which boys at Ridge View can earn for good behavior. "I really didn't go to school when I was free," said a boy named Steven. "I was always ditching school, hanging out with people I wasn't supposed to hang out with. Then I came to (Ridge View) and I started going to school every day.... I found out I was smart."

Lawmakers asked if the kids at Ridge View were in fact hardened criminals. Opponents had testified about fights and shanks being found there. In one high-profile case, a sixteen-year-old Ridge View boy named Josh Churchwell walked away from a wrestling match that Ridge View was competing in at East High in January 2011. His dead body was found three months later in a suitcase near Ruby Hill Park, nearly naked and curled in a fetal position. His adoptive parents told the media that Josh's roommates at Ridge View made shanks and then practiced with them on their mattresses. Josh turned them in, and, subsequently, another boy stabbed him with a pencil. The adoptive parents said they were afraid Josh had become a target at Ridge View.

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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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